Icelandic jazz musician Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir (otherwise known as Laufey) revives the romanticism of cool jazz in her debut album ‘Everything I Know About Love’ (released on August 26 2022). Filled with swooning string arrangements, detailed storytelling, and emotional vulnerability, this album plays out like a fairytale of the 21 st  Century; audibly beautiful in its sound and lyricism, whilst maintaining relatability to a modern listener. The titular track, ‘Everything I K

(posted on Cathartic Youth Literary Magazine's blog) The spring daffodils have started to bloom from the grassy patches at the side of...

The digital world is becoming inescapable, forcing a reliance on technology for travel, work, communication, news, and so many other things that keep us connected to society. Because of this, it is so easy to become lost in our devices, overwhelmed by online consumption and activity, and as a result we feel unfocused and anxious in our daily lives. We are spending so much time in these intangible, digital environments that it is causing us to become removed from our physical

(posted on Cathartic Youth Literary Magazine's blog) Since the practice of creative therapy was introduced in Mid-20th century Europe, the benefits of the arts on mental wellbeing have been continually proven. This can include many different activities, ranging from colouring and painting to musical theatre and performance. But what is it about creative release itself that is so emotionally healing? And how can we draw upon creativity to improve our own wellbeing? A big aspec

(posted on Cathartic Youth Literary Magazine's blog) Imagine losing control of your emotions—being unable to distinguish rational thoughts from irrational. Imagine all of your lowest feelings swarming you at once. Imagine experiencing such a heightened sensitivity that even a minor setback can send you crashing down. Now, imagine all of this being a monthly occurrence in your life. PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, and it is a severe form of PMS (premenstrual s

(printed in Concrete 398) Twinkling lights begin to invade the high street. Cheesy Hallmark movies are playing on a loop. Christmas has...

(printed in Concrete's Venue 397) *cw - mentions of mental illness and eating disorders Despite being a self-professed “Buzzkill,” Baby...