THE GiX LOGS - Observations From The Future

 

THE GiX LOGS

by Matt Adcock
 

OR

Dave Keech Interview Americanology and More

 

Americanology with Dave Keech

AMERICANOLOGY is a deep-groove jazz track infused with soul, featuring the powerhouse vocals of Andre Espeut and a stellar lineup of the UK’s most progressive and creative jazz musicians, including Binker Golding, Rob Luft, Nikolaj Torp Larsen, Nim Sadot, and Corrie Dick. The track blends jazz musicianship with classic soul, making it equally at home on jazz playlists and dance floors.

AMERICANOLOGY is the lead single from Dave Keech’s upcoming 5-track EP, Tokyo, set for release in autumn 2025. The EP showcases Dave’s big, expressive trombone sound and soulful phrasing, with original compositions interpreted by some of the UK’s most innovative jazz musicians.

To hear the excellent single 'Americanology' click here:

https://orcd.co/1wkokyw

I had a sneak listen to the next single BLOOD and it's every bit as awesome as the first (if not even better!!)...

To pre-save the forthcoming single 'Blood' out 25th July:

https://orcd.co/dpa27pr

I had the chance to ask Dave some Q's - here's what the man has to say:

Matt: I heard that you started playing trombone at twelve, inspired by your grandfather. Did he also warn you it would lead to a life of late nights, smoky rooms, and explaining to airport security why you’re carrying a brass bazooka?

Dave: He did not. My grandfather was a strict brass bandsman — almost more classical than the classical crowd. Discipline, posture, rigour — that was the world I stepped into at twelve. He probably wouldn’t have approved of me veering off into jazz, but he taught me how to be serious about the instrument, and that mattered. There’s a story that sticks with me: once, he went to a brass instrument exhibition and happened to see Louis Armstrong there, who must've been on tour in the UK — testing out a trumpet. Granddad listened, shrugged, and said, “Didn’t think much to it.” That tells you everything about his taste and temperament! I didn’t exactly follow in his footsteps — but I wouldn’t have found my own path without him. 

Matt: You studied under Sir Eduardo Paolozzi does sculpting with metal and wielding a trombone feel like two sides of the same artistic rebellion, or is one just significantly louder?

Dave: They’re definitely two sides of the same thing - and they’re both loud in their own way. Paolozzi was a dear friend and mentor. He taught me so much about creativity, about following instinct, and about the joy of making. He also loved jazz. His work feels like an endless improvisation - a kind of hymn to the 20th century and everything it meant, from machines to movies. That spirit - of assembling, layering, experimenting - is what I hear in jazz too. We spent many happy hours together listening to jazz. It’s all part of the same impulse, really. Paolozzi and jazz just speak different dialects of the same language. 

Matt: Touring with Ray Gelato’s ‘Giants’ must have been wild what’s the most surreal moment you’ve had on stage… and does it beat playing Carnegie Hall with Lionel Hampton and Roberta Flack?

Dave: Well, yes - being on stage at Carnegie Hall New York with Ray Gelato’s band, sharing the bill with Lionel Hampton and Roberta Flack, was surreal in all the right ways. That’s a lifetime highlight. 

But then again… there was Finland. We were doing a late-night jam after a festival — somewhere in Finland or Norway — when a very drunk guy got up and started causing chaos. The pianist lost patience and punched him. That kicked off an actual brawl on stage: cymbals flying, bodies crashing, total mayhem. Our drummer, Johnny Piper (God rest his soul) jumped in to help subdue the guy — I think his Millwall supporter creds came in handy. I just edged quietly to the side — I had a trombone to protect. 

Matt: You’ve designed everything from keyboards to brass instruments for Yamaha do you ever sit in a gig and silently critique the design flaws of the instruments around you? Be honest.

Dave: Great question. Honestly, in the professional world, most players have chosen their instruments like they’ve chosen their voice — it becomes part of who they are. So it’s rare to see gear that’s wrong for the job.

But, like most musicians, I’m far more likely to be silently critiquing my own playing than anyone else’s setup.

What I really enjoy — and this has definitely been fuelled by my time at Yamaha — is talking to other players about their instruments on gigs. Horn players, guitarists, drummers, whatever. What they’re playing, why they chose it, where they got it, what they love (or hate) about it. That curiosity hasn’t gone away. And it’s a privilege to have been on both sides of the fence — designing and playing. 

Matt: Japan clearly made a lasting impression. What’s more technically challenging: mastering a complex jazz chart or navigating Tokyo’s subway system with a trombone case during rush hour?

Dave: Ha ha - few things are more challenging than complex jazz charts! But navigating Tokyo’s subway system with a trombone case during rush hour on the way to a gig doing complex jazz charts is one of the greatest challenges known to man. I know — I’ve cos I've done it :-)

Matt: As the founder of JazzUp, do you think young jazz musicians today have it harder breaking through or just easier ways to post moody Instagram shots with their instruments?

Dave: Man, your questions are good!

Honestly, I think it’s harder now. There are far fewer casual gigs than there used to be. When I was starting out, there were pubs full of live music — working bands, jam sessions, scenes you could cut your teeth on. That landscape’s changed. Even places like Club 85 in Hitchin — the long-time home of JazzUp — are under threat. It’s tough.

Sure, younger players have adapted to social media, and there’s definitely a knack for posting moody shots with a horn. But most of the musicians I know just want to play. I’m not convinced that posting on Instagram leads to paid gigs - maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Maybe I’m just from a different generation.

You can curate your social media, but you can't curate a jazz solo on stage - it's happening for real!

Matt: If your trombone could talk, what would it say about the gigs it’s survived and would it need therapy after some of them?

Dave: My trombone does talk - I just happen to be the one enabling it.

But when it’s just the two of us, it usually says something like: “Mate… when are you going to pay for my therapy? I’ve stuck with you through all sorts, and it’s about time you coughed up for my mental health. Surely you’ve earned enough by now — especially with that new single out…” 

Matt: Your new EP Tokyo is on the horizon. How much of the Japanese influence comes through in your compositions and do you ever find yourself subconsciously trying to play haiku in brass form?

Dave: It is indeed - the Tokyo EP is on the way, and we’re launching it at the 100 Club on Oxford Street on 22nd October. You have to come.

The title track, Tokyo, is absolutely soaked in the energy of that city - this living, breathing Blade Runner meets Mega-City One kind of place. The track is about the city. The lyrics are about the city. I won’t give too much away just yet, but it channels the chaos, the beauty, the overload — all of it.

And yes, there’s definitely a rhythmic haiku vibe running underneath it. Controlled chaos, maybe. 

Matt: Let’s settle this once and for all: what’s the cooler jazz accessory a perfectly polished mute or the ability to walk on stage looking like you just stepped out of a noir detective movie?

Dave: Nice one. I reckon a perfectly polished mute belongs to a brass band player - a jazz musician’s is more likely to be battered, bent, and barely hanging together.  And let’s be honest: most jazz musicians look more like they’re being followed by a detective.

But seriously — yeah. Jazz is about style. Miles Davis knew it better than anyone. He once said something like: “Anyone can play a note. That’s 20%. The other 80% is the attitude of the motherf…r playing it.” 

Matt: Final question… If you could form a supergroup with any living or dead jazz legends, who’s in the lineup and more importantly, who’s buying the first round after the gig?

Dave: Unfair question! That’s impossible.

But okay - I’d love to play with Duke Ellington. Just to be near that musical mind. And I once had a dream I met Louis Armstrong — it was intense, just this huge, overwhelming personality. I never forgot it. I wouldn’t dare get on stage with him, but I’d kill for a hang with him.

Maybe Elvin Jones on drums. Or wow - what would it be like to be on stage with Ella??… no. See? It's impossible.

As for the first round - with a supergroup like that, the first and all subsequent rounds would surely be on the house?

Come to think of it, I have assembled an insane band for the 100 Club launch! Andre Espeut, Corrie Dick, Nim Sadot, Binker Golding, Rob Luft and Nikolaj Torp Larson - if that's not a supergroup I don't know what is!

More about Dave here:

www.davekeech.co.uk

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click banner below to hear a FREE 5 mins sample of my audiobook which is becoming a graphic novel too)...

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review

 

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (PS5)

 – A Platinum Pilgrimage Through the Murderous Meadows of Bohemia

By Matt Adcock (@Cleric20) – Still trying to scrub the virtual blood off my hands

You know you’re deep into a game when the local wildlife start to fear your name. After 200+ hours lost in the mud-caked, blood-smeared wonder that is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I emerged victorious, platinum trophy in hand, sanity… well, we don’t talk about that anymore.

This game doesn’t just invite immersion, it grabs you by the filthy 15th-century tunic and shoves you face-first into history. The Bohemian countryside is rendered with such obsessive detail that I half-expected to contract the plague through my controller. Between the dual-region map of Trosky and Kuttenberg, there’s no shortage of ways to die horribly or embarrass yourself in front of the nobility.

But the real magic is in how alive the world feels. NPCs aren’t just medieval cardboard cutouts wandering aimlessly - they notice things. Hang around a crime scene too long, and they’ll start throwing suspicious glances your way. Covered in blood after a casual highway robbery? Don’t expect a warm welcome at the tavern. One memorable moment saw me forget to wash after a particularly brutal bandit encounter, (for the 'Without Protection' trophy - where you have to break an enemy's shield - tip get a shield, use it until it's wrecked <10% health - then knock out a bandit and swap their shield for the almost broken one, then wait till they come round and fight em!) but let’s just say the local blacksmith wouldn’t even haggle with me until I’d bathed. Fair, really.

And if you’re feeling the call of courtly love (or at least, a well-timed flirt), there’s fun to be had on the romantic front too. From shy village girls to worldly ladies who demand a bit more chivalry, the game lets you dabble in medieval matchmaking. Just be warned—this isn’t a dating sim. Fail to impress, and you’ll find your attempts at wooing met with withering scorn and the kind of rejection that stings worse than a longsword to the ribs.

This is the screen you get for beating the game :)

The Platinum Path: Pain, Perseverance, and Poor Life Choices

Securing the platinum in this beast of a game is a feat worthy of its own ballad. You’ll need the patience of a saint and the moral flexibility of a highwayman. Take the bastard 'Lent' trophy, for example, avoid eating meat or killing animals. Easy, right? Until you realise that in some missions you'll have to fight wolves!?

Then there is the sadistic genius of the 'Overkill' trophy. Kill a rabbit. With what passes for a  'gun'. In the 1400s, before sights or any semblance of being able to 'aim' was invented!? Spoiler: these rabbits aren’t just fast - they’re basically fur-covered ninjas. I achieved this absurd task after discovering a field near Grund that might as well be called the Bunny Battle Royale. Armed with my trusty/wonky scattershot pistol and all the remorse of a Saturday morning cartoon villain, I blasted my way to victory. Just don’t ask how many attempts it took… or how ridiculous it feels firing a hand cannon at a rabbit. Or how smug they look hopping away after you missed again...

Pro Tips for Fellow Trophy Masochists

Save Like Your Life Depends On It. Because it does. You can’t undo a poorly timed rabbit massacre.

Stat Watcher Extraordinaire. Keep checking your menus like a paranoid accountant—one errant sausage or misplaced arrow can ruin your perfect run.

One Save Does Not Rule Them All. Some trophies actively hate each other. Split your playthroughs or prepare for existential despair.

Consult the Ancients. PowerPyx and other guides are your new best friends. Ignore them at your peril.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is not just a game; it’s a full-time medieval lifestyle simulator where every victory tastes sweeter because it came with so much suffering. The NPCs behave more believably than some people I know in real life, the romance is charmingly awkward, and the quest for platinum is the gaming equivalent of climbing Everest, only with more bloodstains and rabbit-related trauma.

Is it worth the hours? The controller-clenching frustration? The existential dread as you realise you forgot to save before launching a rabbit into orbit?

Absolutely.

And if anyone wants to meet me near Grund, I hear the rabbits are regrouping for the sequel…

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - Jumped into my all time fav game list...)

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

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Matt finds Fréwaka (review) and best folk films

Fréwaka (2024) 

Dir. Aislinn Clarke 

Reviewed by Matt (@Cleric20) Adcock

Starring: Clare Monnelly, Bríd Ní Neachtain Genre: Irish-language Folk Horror 

"Folklore and trauma collide…” 

Something wicked stirs in the shadows of Ireland’s mist-shrouded folklore. Fréwaka, the bold and deeply unsettling second feature from Aislinn Clarke (The Devil’s Doorway), is an Irish-language horror that grips like a cold hand from beyond the veil. 

This is not horror by numbers either, oh no, it’s horror that seeps into your bones, steeped in grief, guilt, and ancestral trauma. Shoo (a superb Clare Monnelly) begins to question everything as we follow her, a palliative care nurse reeling from the suicide of her estranged mother. 

Emotionally adrift, she takes a job in a remote Irish village, tending to an elderly woman named Peig (Bríd Ní Neachtain), whose mind is fractured by memories of being stolen away by the Na Sídhe, dark mythic entities said to spirit people from this world. But as Shoo digs deeper into Peig’s haunted recollections, the edges of reality begin to fray, and what begins as care work curdles into a harrowing confrontation with personal and collective ghosts. 

“This house holds more than memories…” 

Clarke eschews cheap scares for a potent, slow-building dread. Every creak of wood, every breath in the silence, feels like an omen. The rural setting becomes a liminal space between the living and the dead, where trauma festers and refuses to be buried. Visions emerge: masked figures, animal totems, a red door that beckons like a wound. Every element is symbolic, and all of it drips with menace. Personal favs the glowing red cross and 'glow-in-the-dark' Virgin Mary statue.

Monnelly gives a powerhouse performance, grounding the film in emotional authenticity. As Shoo’s stoicism begins to crack, the story opens into a deeper reflection on mother-daughter bonds, inherited pain, and the horrors society chooses to forget. Ní Neachtain is extraordinary too, her Peig is both pitiable and unnerving, a vessel for ancient memory and madness alike.

“Ireland’s ghosts do not rest easily.” 

 What truly elevates Fréwaka is its ambition. This is horror as reckoning. When Peig speaks of the realm she was taken to, she describes not a fairytale underworld, but a dystopia of starvation, silence, and shame. The line between folklore and real-world suffering collapses in terrifying fashion. The atmosphere is suffocating, the sound design eerie and unrelenting and the supernatural is just a heartbeat away.

Fréwaka is a rare beast, artful, chilling, and emotionally devastating. It joins the ranks of horror cinema that doesn’t just want to scare you, but to say something true and painful. Fans of Saint Maud, or The VVitch will find much to admire here. 

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - This is horror that hurts. And lingers...)

Matt's Top Folk Horror Movies:

The Wicker Man (1973)

The definitive folk horror classic—an eerie collision of Christian morality and pagan ritual, culminating in one of the most iconic endings in cinema history.

Midsommar (2019)

A sun-drenched nightmare that turns grief and toxic relationships into a florally wrapped descent into cultish horror, both hypnotic and viscerally disturbing.

The VVitch (2015)

A slow-burning 17th-century tale of religious paranoia and supernatural doom, with a chilling atmosphere and one unforgettable goat named Black Phillip.

Kill List (2011)

Starts as a hitman thriller, then veers into occult terror, brutally bleak, disorienting, and shocking in its final moments.

A Field in England (2013)

Ben Wheatley's surreal black-and-white odyssey of alchemy and madness in the English Civil War, folk horror as a psychedelic fever dream.

The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971)

A grim tale of a demonic force infecting a rural village’s youth—beautifully shot, deeply unsettling, and a core pillar of the folk horror “unholy trinity.”

Häxan (1922)

A silent docu-horror hybrid about witchcraft through the ages, avant-garde, creepy, and way ahead of its time in both imagery and message.

Wake Wood (2009)

Modern Irish folk horror about grief and resurrection, channelling Pet Sematary through the eerie lens of rural ritual and pastoral vengeance.

The Ritual (2017)

A lads’ hiking trip in Sweden becomes a chilling confrontation with Norse mythology, creepy forest atmosphere and one of the best monster designs in years.

Gwen (2018)

Bleak and atmospheric, this Welsh tale of creeping dread weaves economic hardship with pagan fear in a brutally intimate family tragedy.

Eyes of Fire (1983)

A U.S. frontier-set tale that blends folk magic, early colonial fear, and indigenous spirits, beautifully strange and unsettling.

Lord of Misrule (2023)

Set in a rural English village where tradition masks something ancient and malevolent, this eerie slow-burn dives deep into the rot beneath seasonal celebration and blind faith.

The Droving (2020)

A brooding, micro-budget folk thriller following a haunted man on a journey through moors and masked rituals, moody, mysterious, and steeped in folkloric revenge.

. 

The Words of Eleven (Review)

The Words of Eleven

by C J Aggett @cjaggett.bsky.social)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@cleric20.bsky.social)

"Sidney instinctively steps back, his heart racing. The stalker slowly turns towards him, its movements unnaturally fluid, and he feels a chill run down his spine. He swallows hard, dread flooding his veins. In a terrifying standoff, they lock eyes, the stalker's pale blue gaze pierces through the shadows, its unnerving demonic grin spreading wider between those eyes..."

Eleven writers. One isolated castle. A killer premise. What could possibly go wrong?

In The Words of Eleven, Christopher Aggett, Writing Community Chat Show host,  brings together a group of horror authors for a retreat that quickly slides into nightmare territory, as the stories they begin to write start clawing their way into reality. It’s a setup rich with potential, blending meta-fictional dread with classic haunted house vibes.

The concept is pure catnip for genre fans: what will these eleven horror writers lured to a remote gothic castle come up with? Will they live to regret their deviant creations? Think Inception meets Scooby Doo.

It’s the kind of high-concept pitch that would make a Shudder exec lean forward, especially if you whisper ‘South Wales community-led horror movie adaptation’ in the right ear.”

So the concept is strong, but for me, the execution doesn’t quite hold up its end of the deal. There are flickers of atmosphere and a few moments where things genuinely click, I liked the castle which has presence, and the central idea is clearly driven by a love of horror storytelling. But the writing varies with some scenes feeling rushed, and character voices blending into each other (am sure a character changed names on one page), and I found the tension kinda stop-start rather than building to a memorable climax.

Aggett’s passion for writing and the creative community is legendary, and his first two books (my review of The Deep series) are great. I love what Chris does championing indie authors and bringing creatives together and you can feel that same energy in this book. I'd like to see this story shine with tighter editing, more show, less tell.

The Words of Eleven is an ambitious horror story that lands a few good jabs but doesn’t quite hit hard enough overall. There’s masses of promise here though.

Grab your copy here: BUY

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö

(3 - Horror writing can be the death of you...)

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click banner below to hear a FREE 5 mins sample of my audiobook which is becoming a graphic novel too)...

Matt finds The Lies That Hide Within (review)

 

THE LIES THAT HIDE WITHIN 

(The Darkness Duology Book 2) 

by Megan Boley

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Built for vengeance. Not teamwork. Not trust. Certainly not romance. 

But the end of the world doesn't care about her comfort zone...

Strap in once again, survivor. Megan Boley is back with the blistering conclusion to The Darkness Duology, and The Lies That Hide Within is a deliciously dark cocktail of post-apocalyptic mayhem, shadowy conspiracies, steamy tension, and knife-edged banter.

It's fair to say things aren't going will at the end of the world - resistance’s messengers have gone missing. Ritualistic killings are creeping closer. And somewhere in the woods, something is watching. Penny’s got a theory though and it’s not a good one. She's convinced the murderous cult she failed to erase is still out there, licking its wounds and ready to burn the world (again). 

Naturally, she’s hell-bent on finishing what she started. But one woman versus an insidious death cult with biotech backing? Even Penny... voted "most likely to stab someone in the face"... knows she can’t do it alone. 

Enter Mal. Her commanding officer. Her walking headache. Her very large, very growly, extremely inconvenient maybe-love-interest. She needs manpower. He needs her to follow orders. Neither of them plans to play nice. 

Hopefully you get the picture, and if you've read book one you'll know that Boley is a great fun author to read. Cue: barbed flirtation, tactical bickering, and emotional whiplash...

Plus we get future Tesla *sorry* the equally morally-bankrupt megacorp: Pharmatrox. 

Yep, if you like your villains with a corporate logo and a side of science-gone-wrong, prepare to get happy!

There's a lot packed in here: simmering romance, shocking twists, tick and tick. All woven into a cat-and-mouse narrative where everyone’s wearing a mask and the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

It even gets a little steamy. Not smut, but enough heat to fog up your tactical goggles. 

Wanna see a pic of Megan Boley, the dystopian and urban fantasy author (and, alas, a former redhead). 

Jump back to my review of The Darkness All Around Us here: REVIEW 

Check here Socials: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/meganboleyauthor TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@metal_meg

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/meganboleyauthor/

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 A smart, funny, brutally great way to round off the two books) 

BUY THEM HERE: Amazon link

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click banner below to hear a FREE 5 mins sample of my audiobook which is becoming a graphic novel too)...

Matt feels The Darkness All Around Us (review)

 

The Darkness All Around Us 

by Megan Boley

Reviewed by Matt Adcock  

Step this way for a brutal, pulse-pounding descent into dystopian horror that grips and pleases as it rips your heart out. 

Megan Boley's The Darkness All Around Us is a full-throttle, nerve-shredding journey through a world where survival is an act of defiance and the line between humanity and monstrosity blurs with every blood-drenched step forward. If you like your dystopian fiction with a razor-sharp edge, a touch of Resident Evil-esque bio-horror, and characters who carry their trauma like a loaded gun, then buckle up, this one hit's hard. 

Boley brings a world drenched in shadow, in a future where corporate greed has mutated into something far more monstrous, the novel throws us into the ruins of a society ravaged by unchecked scientific ambition. Pharmatox, the omnipresent pharmaceutical juggernaut, has been playing God with genetics, and now the world is paying the price. 

Humanity is splintered, what remains of civilization clings to the edges, while unspeakable horrors lurk in the wastelands beyond. Enter Stella, a scientist with a past as dark as the world around her. Haunted by guilt and the weight of past mistakes, she’s thrust into a desperate fight when her closest friend is taken by Pharmatox for “research.” 

What follows is a relentless, high-stakes infiltration into the belly of the beast, where every corner holds a new nightmare, and trust is as scarce as clean air. Boley really knows how to craft characters that feel raw and real.

Stella isn’t some invincible action hero, she’s flawed, broken, and barely holding herself together. Her journey isn’t just about survival; it’s about redemption, about clawing her way back to something worth living for. Alongside her is a ragtag band of misfits: a snarky teenage scavenger who’s seen too much, a rogue scientist who knows too many secrets, and a former Pharmatox enforcer who may or may not be trustworthy. Their dynamic crackles with tension and gallows humour, offering rare moments of light in a world gone pitch-black. 

I loved the pacing, it's relentless. Every chapter drags you deeper into the abyss, each moment of reprieve shattered by another horrifying revelation. The horror here isn’t just in the grotesque mutations and corporate-controlled monstrosities, it’s in the loss of self, the fear of what we’re willing to become when the world demands it. 

I also admired how Boley wields tension like a scalpel, slicing through any illusions of safety. The action is brutal, cinematic and desperate. Fights are scrappy and visceral, more survival than spectacle. 

And when the horror kicks in you'll witness imagery that lingers, scenes that burn into your mind with eerie precision. 

Must-Read for Dystopian Horror Fans The Darkness All Around Us is a gut-wrenching, adrenaline-fueled nightmare that refuses to pull its punches. 

Megan Boley is a dystopian and urban fantasy author (and, alas, a former redhead). Her stories are full of ragtag teams, strong women, grumpy but lovable men, and some steamy romance to keep things nice and interesting...

Check here Socials: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/meganboleyauthor TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@metal_meg

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/meganboleyauthor/

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - Read it with the lights on… but know that the darkness is already inside you.) 

LIKE THIS? READ THE BOOK TWO REVIEW HERE: Review link

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click banner below to hear a FREE 5 mins sample of my audiobook which is becoming a graphic novel too)...

FOREST of NOISE Mosab Abu Toha (review)

 

FOREST of NOISE

by Mosab Abu Toha 

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20 on Bluesky)

There are books that tell stories, and then there are books that pull you into the very marrow of their reality. Forest of Noise by Mosab Abu Toha is the latter, a collection of poetry that does not merely speak of loss, displacement, and resilience but makes you inhabit them. 

Recently longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, this book is an unflinching, urgent testament to the experience of living under occupation and the enduring power of art in the face of violence. Abu Toha writes with a voice that is at once deeply personal and universally resonant. His words carry the weight of a people’s history, yet they land with the intimacy of whispered confessions. The collection's title, Forest of Noise, evokes both the deafening chaos of war and the eerie silence that follows destruction, setting the tone for poetry that oscillates between despair and defiance. 

But this work does not merely catalogue suffering. The poetry also sings with resistance. There are moments where language itself becomes an act of defiance, words wielded like stones against silence and erasure. In a world that often demands his silence, he refuses, filling the void with verse. His work echoes the tradition of Mahmoud Darwish, but it is distinctly his own, modern, raw, and unrelenting in its search for truth. What makes Forest of Noise truly exceptional is its ability to hold complexity. There is rage, certainly, but also tenderness. There is mourning, but also an aching love for the land, for the people who continue to plant trees even as bombs fall. 

In one particularly striking poem, Abu Toha writes of how their 'lives freeze' every time they heard a bomb falling from an F-16 or an F-35, you can feel the fear emanating from the pages. You see, Forest of Noise is not just a collection of poems; it's a chronicle of survival, identity, and the unyielding spirit of a people. Abu Toha's voice resonates with authenticity, offering readers an intimate portrayal of life in Gaza. This collection is a poignant reminder of the power of poetry to illuminate the human condition, making it a deserving contender for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Abu Toha’s poetry is a rare thing: both deeply rooted in a specific place and time, and yet expansive enough to resonate with anyone who has ever known loss, exile, or the need to fight for a voice.

Find out more about the Dylan Thomas Prize here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/dylan-thomas-prize/ 

>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?

Click banner below to hear a FREE 5 mins sample of my audiobook which is becoming a graphic novel too)...

Matt tunes in to the Tolworth Beacon with Huw Langridge

 

The Tolworth Beacon

Huw Langridge @huwlangridge

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (X @cleric20, Bluesky @cleric20.bsky.social) - follow all my film reviews and reaction on Letterboxd (Cleric20)

Inspired by the enigmatic allure of numbers stations those cryptic shortwave broadcasts that have tantalized conspiracy theorists and insomniacs alike, Langridge weaves a narrative that's as much about the mysteries we seek out as it is about those that find us. 

Agent Langridge writes with a nice matter-of-fact style which is easy to read and keeps the plot cracking along.

It's a tale that feels like a lost gem from the golden age of 1970s BBC horror, where the line between the banal and the bizarre is deliciously blurred.

For those who crave a story that lulls you into a false sense of security before pulling the rug out from under you, The Tolworth Beacon is your next must-read. 

Just be prepared to leave the lights on, you might not ever look at your radio the same way again either...

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 - Tune in, turn on, freak out..)

Have you seen this man?

I got to ask Huw some Q's...

Matt: If you had to broadcast a code radio station what might it be sending out?

Huw: Certainly nothing as deep as The Tolworth Beacon. I’d probably devise some elaborate treasure hunt and broadcast co-ordinates out to players. Maybe I could make a business out of it! Like a corporate team-building game or something that people would do on a stag party!

Matt: What is the most life-affirming thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?

Huw: I often revisit the wonderful Cameron Crowe film “Almost Famous”. It’s such a great coming-of-age movie which depicts how fulfilling it can be to be creatively honest. It zooms right in on the emotional journeys of the characters. It has a great soundtrack, including that wonderful scene when they sing Tiny Dancer on the coach, which is a great depiction of how like-minded people can come together despite their differences.

Matt: If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London what type of parade would you organise?

Huw: Well if there’s any truth to the rumours that UFOs are real, then how about Disclosure Day! To celebrate everyone finding out!

Matt: If you could choose to be a fictional character who would it be?

Huw: Commander Norton in Rendezvous with Rama. Not the most well-written character in fiction, but he gets to experience that awe-inspiring moment when the lights come on inside a 40km wide cylindrical alien spacecraft.

Matt: Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?

Huw: Thomas Dolby. A supremely talented musical artist who’s recorded some wonderful albums that have been very inspiring for me, and who has had a pioneering career in the digital/tech world. He’s always had a lens on how technology and creativity come together and is fascinating to listen to when he talks about his career and life.

Matt: There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head, who is most likely to be under the mask?

Huw: Someone telling me to stop procrastinating and do more writing.

Matt: What is the meaning of life?

Huw: To understand all facets of human consciousness, what it is, and what it can do, as I believe we’ve only scratched the surface of how powerful it is.

Matt: What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?

Huw: My grandparents gave me the money to buy a (quite expensive) Yamaha V50 synthesizer when I was sixteen. I composed and recorded music on it for years, and that creative outlet was joyous for me in the way it helped shape my thoughts and feelings, and helped me channel many emotional parts of my writing in later years.

Matt: If you could have a sidekick of any sort – what would it be able to do for you?

Huw: My sidekick would have the power to pause time for everyone but me, whenever I wanted. I’d no longer be able to use “lack of time” as an excuse to not be writing.

Matt: What would you like written on your tombstone?

Press X to restart.

Matt: Any final words you like to add.

Huw: Thanks for these questions. They really made me think! 

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Unicorn Overlord review

Unicorn Overlord (PS5) – A High-Fantasy Tactics Banger 

Darkmatters Review – By Matt Adcock (X @cleric20, Bluesky @cleric20.bsky.social) - follow all my film reviews and reaction on Letterboxd (Cleric20)

You know the drill:a young prince, a kingdom’s gone to hell, and it’s up to you to amass an army, wage war, and somehow not get yourself impaled on a pike before the credits roll. But while Unicorn Overlord hits the fantasy-tactics notes like a bard who actually knows what they’re doing, it does so with such style, wit, and strategic depth that it makes even the most predictable tropes feel like fresh battle orders. Oh, and it’s got Disgaea energy in the best way possible, chaotic, stylish, and just unhinged enough to keep you grinning through every over-the-top battle.

Yes, the setup is familiar. Yes, you play as Alain, a deposed royal with a birthright to reclaim. And yes, an evil empire, corrupted allies, and an ancient prophecy are involved. But don’t roll your eyes just yet. Unicorn Overlord manages to take this well-worn tale and inject it with genuine personality.

At its core, this is a strategy RPG with a combat system that feels like the lovechild of Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, and yes, Disgaea on a mild dose of caffeine. Squads move across the overworld, which looks like someone’s lovingly hand-crafted tabletop RPG come to life, engaging in auto-resolving battles where every decision you make beforehand determines whether you’re victorious or redecorating the battlefield with your own entrails.

The unit variety is gloriously over-the-top. You’ve got your standard knights and archers, sure, but also werelions, elven fencers, and a sorceress whose idea of ‘winning’ is perching smugly on a throne made of actual bats. Positioning, synergy, and a bit of sadistic creativity are key. Want a squad of mounted lancers who blitz the battlefield like cavalry on steroids? Go for it. Prefer an unholy mix of tanks and rogues that hit like a hammer wrapped in barbed wire? That works too.

It’s not just about swinging swords – Unicorn Overlord loves throwing morally ambiguous choices at you. You’ll decide the fates of your potential allies, with decisions ranging from ‘heroic mercy’ to ‘oops, guess I’m a war criminal now.’

One moment, you’re weighing whether to forgive a noblewoman who sold out her people to save her bloodline. The next, you’re debating whether a doctor experimenting on plague victims deserves a second chance or just a swift exile. There’s no real ‘right’ answer, just a series of compromises that make the world feel weighty and real. Except for the elves. Those rascals are suspiciously noble, which makes me think they’re hiding something.

Vanillaware’s signature 2.5D animation is back, and it’s great - each frame is drenched in handcrafted detail. But Unicorn Overlord is more than just a top-tier strategy RPG – it’s a testament to how far the genre has come. It takes the best elements of its predecessors, adds a healthy dose of creative chaos, and refines it into something truly special.

Whether you’re here for the deep tactical combat, the kingdom-spanning rebellion, or just to press X to eat, Unicorn Overlord is an absolute triumph. And if anyone tells you otherwise, they’re probably just bitter they lost their best unit in battle because they forgot to check a terrain modifier.

Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:

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(5 One of my favourite games for a long time...) 

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