Tumblr blogs 2

Next on my list of best Tumblr blogs by category, I will explore some dark, and more provocative/graphic blogs:

1. Leopoldasbeach: Although quite famous, Leopold makes Tumblr a lot more interesting, with his mix of humorous, dark, experimental, and sexual posts. Not only is it exciting to follow the life of Leopold through his personal posts, but his personally in question answers is not conceded, but rather silly and pleasant. A recommendation for those who are searching for something provocative, with a layer of silly humor. 
2. Scary Mansion: Scary mansion is a must follow! The dark themes of the images, make even the most innocent look grotesque and dark. With many grainy gifs, and topics of nostalgic sadness, death, distorted images of art and fashion, this blog has all to drive one into a dark vortex of Tumblr. Each post on this blog is absolutely well chosen and put together, to create an unbelievable and almost cinematic experience from going down the blog. 

Tumblr blogs 1

Everybody knows and loved Tumblr, but rummaging through the masses of blogs can get tiring, and overwhelming. Therefore, I have created a list of my favorite Tumblr blogs by category, and will be sharing them with you over the next few weeks.

1) Black and white blogs. 

Black and white blogs have gained a lot of popularity recently. Any image turned to black and white, seems to adopt a sinister, and nostalgic atmosphere to it. However, instead of listing lots of popular, and famous black and white Tumblr blogs, I will list some that are a little less known, but definitely worth the follow. 

1. Swimming in the Flood: This blog, is a black and white fashion blog, filled with nostalgic images of scenery, empty and emotionless portraits, and creative light and shadows plays, that really make the images feel old, and abused, but at the same time fresh, and new. The clean lines in the photos, and the clean theme of the blog, creates a nice atmosphere, while many of the photos are not too common on the Tumblr black and white scene, meaning that there is plenty of new, non-repetitive content to explore. 
2. The juices in me: This blog is quite different from the first, in that it is more haunting. The images are dark, and sinister, with play on shadows, and abstract shapes. Silhouettes become blurred on this blog, as a more dark, and tortured theme is explored here. It is evident that each photo is chosen with care, and although she doesn't post too often, each of the posts is a masterpiece that could stand on its own. 

Paz De La Huerta

Gaspar Noe's film Enter the Void was my first introduction to Paz De La Huerta. Her effortless portrayal of a nostalgic, and free-spirited Linda in the film, seemed to suggest that Paz herself, has a similar personality. Curious as to whether she lives up to her Enter the Void performance, I began scouting the internet for all things Paz. And to my happiness, I found that in reality, Paz is much crazier, and even more inspiring than her film character. 

In this video, I feel as though she is most interesting and curious. Hopefully we will be seeing her more often in movies in the next few years. 

IRL

IRL, is an upcoming short film by Grant Singer, a young music video and short film director. In the film, Singer brings together popular indie artists such as model and musician Sky Ferreira, photographer Sandy Kim, and Colby Hewitt of DIIV. Although not many details about the film have yet been released, the trailer is a tease that cannot be missed. The killer score from John Holland and Aaron David Ross, the intriguing plot line, and the all star indie cast put IRL at the forefront of anticipated indie releases of 2013.

For more details or upcoming news on the release of IRL, visit Singer's twitter, or the IRL film official website.

Style Inspiration: Ana Kras

Serbian born photographer, furniture designer and model Ana Kras' simple but bold fashion choices have made her my latest fashion muse. What makes her style so intriguing, is that it tastefully tells a modest and shy tale, while at the same time is modern, and powerful.

Modest dressed with vintage silhouettes are an Ana trademark. 

Simple t-shirts, button down blouses and blazers paired with shorts or dark pants are all combinations seen in repeat in Ana's photos. Effortless while appearing to be put together is what she does best. The simplicity and classic charm of the ensembles is appealing, and the functionality of her fashion choices allows the pieces to be easily recreated by others.

In her video for the Avant/Garde diaries we see a lot of her personal style, but can also connect it to her personality, and lifestyle as an artist. In motion, not only is Ana's style fascinating, but her shy mannerisms, classic beauty, and interesting ideas make her a well rounded role model. A master of all areas, from fashion to furniture, Ana Kras is a young artist to watch. (Did I mention she is engaged to Devendra Banhart)

4. MS MR - Hurricane

Brooklyn based synth-pop duo MS MR created internet buzz with the release of a music video for their song Hurricane, setting the scene for the release of their first EP Candy Bar Creep Show earlier this year. 

The duo describes their music as "Tumblr glitch pop", taking inspiration from the alternative communities on Tumblr. The influence of Tumblr within Hurricane can be seen through the dark and dreamy lyrics, discussing topics such as human desire and the nature of the human mind. Both of these topics are explored by oneself when involved in a Tumblr community, due to the magnitude of various graphic, violent, sexual, and discriminatory content available. In parallel, the lyrics of the song portray a character clouded with illusions about reality, and left to question their morals as well as the morals of their society. The exploration of a young mind wandering through a new age in which they are faced with a deceiving reality about their personal identity and interactions with others is a topic many teenagers and young adults find easy to relate to. All of us at one point or another have found ourselves sucked into a virtual world of dreams and fantasies that are intangible and unattainable. Similar to the character of the song, many of us have questioned the humanity, and sanity within ourselves and our society, in an age where the world is literally, at our fingertips. Set to a fast-paced, rhythmic melody that carries an experimental, and youthful vibe, the song is modern, and though-provoking.

The influence of Tumblr is just as prominent in the music video for the song, as it is in the song itself. The video consists of thousands of images and GIF's taken from Tumblr, and set to play at high speed. Due to being an active member of the Tumblr community myself, I found this video interesting, due to it's dynamic nature. Each re-play of the video is a new story. You notice a new set of images, which you did not previously see. Also, it is exciting to notice images that are familiar to you. Each time I watch this video, I notice yet another image I have seen before, or even re-blogged, hidden within the electrifying mass of images in the video. Another reason this video is so innovative, is that it is thoughtful and meaningful, however vague enough to allow the viewer to judge for themselves the meaning of the images, and question their pace. Although the concept of the video is simple, it is extremely innovative and visually exciting. It allows the viewer to both take a mental, and visual trip, and forces one to be faced with the often impalpable reality of today's technological age.

3. Trust - Sulk (Piano version)

Toronto-based darkwave group TRUST has bloomed and transformed in 2012. After a rise to underground fame with the release of the duo's (Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski) first album TRST, Maya Postepski, the group's drummer and other half departed, turning the duo into Robert Alfons' solo project. 

Now known as Robert Alfons' alter ego, TRUST has come out with multiple videos this year to accompany the new album's tracks, however the piano version of Sulk directed by Toronto's young and talented Petra Collins tops the list. Although it is not formally a music video, but rather a video of an instrumental version of a track which already has a video, the beautiful rawness of the piano along with Robert's vocals in contrast with the muted and distorted image makes this video as prominent as its original. 

The video consists of Alfons performing an instrumental version of Sulk on the piano with a red curtain acting as a backdrop. A purple-blue light shines onto him, creating coloured reflections in the shiny black grand piano. The interest to the video is added with a kaleidoscope-like effect of the scene being morphed, melted, and cloned.

The format and concept of the video works in harmony with the lyrics of the song, which dwell into into sexual exploration, and a gloomy state of mind. Less direct, and difficult to decipher lyrics are a unifying element of TRUST's songs, leaving much to the listeners interpretation. The video seems to mimic the hectic mind of the listener who is trying to solidify the message within the blur of words. 

The video is seemingly made to be the journey of the listener: rolling back, unfocusing, and refocusing their eyes as they are soaking in the euphoric sound of the music. The complexity and haziness of the video brings enchantment and mystery to a simplistic and pure performance.