The Horrors
Skying (XL)
****
Career turnarounds are seldom as dramatic as the rather impressive volte-face pulled off by The Horrors. Arriving on the London scene in mid-2005, this surly gang of Southend youths - going by names such as Faris Rotter, Joshua Von Grimm and Spider Webb - resembled a sort of macabre pastiche of gothic rock, taking the rough-edged garage-punk currently in vogue among readers of NME and glooming it up for a night down the Batcave.
Their macabre theatrics were entertaining enough, particularly live, but their debut album, 2007's Strange House, didn't exactly suggest a whole lot of room for subsequent manoeuvre. One-trick ponies, went the consensus - just time for one more album, and then the cold grave of obscurity beckons.
Actually, though, it is beginning to look like reinvention is very much The Horrors' thing. Primary Colours, produced in 2009 by Geoff Barrow of Portishead, was a more hypnotic, electronic-tinged work, rich with allusions to krautrock and shoegaze. And now, Skying. A new batch of soft-focus pictures suggests the gothic dress has gone the way of the spooky pseudonyms, and the music is both hazier in tone and grander in scope. As the title hints, these tracks are united by a sense of uplift, imagining a slow ascent into blue skies as English gardens roll by far beneath.
Critics have noted that we have been here before, of course - in the early 1980s, when bands such as Simple Minds and the young U2 experimented with a grandiose, windswept sound nicknamed "Big Music". Yes, there are hints of that - a lean towards the epic, the ambition to write something that could be referred to as "an anthem". Happily, though, the band holds back from the excessive bluster that came to characterise the worst of the style.
Whereas once, the rhythm section clattered along at a white-knuckle pace, on You Said and Dive In, the bassist Rhys Webb and the drummer Joseph Spurgeon have relaxed into a gentle but effective baggy shuffle that accentuates the sense of gliding motion. Meanwhile, sparkling synths and the guitarist Joshua Hayward's use of effects-soaked tremolo - informed by but not wholly indebted to Kevin Shields's distinctive guitar playing for My Bloody Valentine - gives the likes of Wild Eyes a woozy, sensual feel.
The frontman Faris Badwan, meanwhile, seems a little shy of rising to the grand occasion. He appears most comfortable buried in a nimbus of effects, and perhaps rightly so, as his vocals still strain a little when reaching for headier peaks. Still, he remains a compelling presence, whether spitting bile at fakers (I Can See Through You) or whispering sweet nothings, as on the gorgeous Still Life.
In a sense, his reticence is a boon. Skying's best moments find the band luxuriating in a vague, hazy sense of Englishness - not the braggadocio of the Britpop era, but its softer, more introspective moments, where Blur's This Is a Low and Suede's Still Life pulled back the lens and saw the isle from a far remove, in all its ugly, wonderful beauty. It's The Horrors' finest album yet, and best of all, it promises much more to come.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
The biog
Name: Gul Raziq
From: Charsadda, Pakistan
Family: Wife and six children
Favourite holes at Al Ghazal: 15 and 8
Golf Handicap: 6
Childhood sport: cricket
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Fixtures (6pm UAE unless stated)
Saturday Bournemouth v Leicester City, Chelsea v Manchester City (8.30pm), Huddersfield v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm), Manchester United v Crystal Palace, Stoke City v Southampton, West Bromwich Albion v Watford, West Ham United v Swansea City
Sunday Arsenal v Brighton (3pm), Everton v Burnley (5.15pm), Newcastle United v Liverpool (6.30pm)
Day 2, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dinesh Chandimal has inherited a challenging job, after being made Sri Lanka’s Test captain. He responded in perfect fashion, with an easy-natured century against Pakistan. He brought up three figures with a majestic cover drive, which he just stood and admired.
Stat of the day – 33 It took 33 balls for Dilruwan Perera to get off the mark. His time on zero was eventful enough. The Sri Lankan No 7 was given out LBW twice, but managed to have both decisions overturned on review. The TV replays showed both times that he had inside edged the ball onto his pad.
The verdict In the two previous times these two sides have met in Abu Dhabi, the Tests have been drawn. The docile nature of proceedings so far makes that the likely outcome again this time, but both sides will be harbouring thoughts that they can force their way into a winning position.
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now