UHM! ZINES PRESENTS: TRELLICK TOWER - A BRUTALIST ICON IN NORTHWEST LONDON

TITLE - UHM! ZINES PRESENTS: TRELLICK TOWER - A BRUTALIST ICON IN NORTHWEST LONDON 

CREATED BY - STEPPP (STEFANO SAMA) 

GENRE - BRITISH BRUTALIST ARCHITCTURE/TRELLICK TOWER 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/24 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PAMPHLET/CARD COVERS/LIMITED TO 50 COPIES 

PRICE - £10.00 + SHIPPING FROM UHMZINES ETSY STORE

In a departure from his usual publications, "Steppp", the prolific photographer and creator behind the brutalist zine "BRUTAL", has produced a special package focusing on just one building: that icon of British Brutalism, Trellick Tower in London. The zine ties in with Trellick's 50th anniversary and is the first in a new series of zines dedicated to notable Brutalist buildings.

Not quite as old as me, (I was born a year earlier in 1971) Trellick Tower was built by architect Erno Goldfinger and opened in 1972. The zine includes an introduction by EG himself in which he talks of "spatial order" and the sensations that can be experienced in buildings and is typical of the pretension often displayed by architects talking about their work. Such themes about the "sense of space" etc are important to Brutalism, and Trellick Tower is definitely an icon of the movement, but sadly it became more famous for its crime and lawlessness, before being gentrified, with the flats becoming highly desirable. The zine also includes a brief history of the tower, which is a welcome feature.

Steppp's photography is, as usual, starkly excellent. With its iconic separate lift-shaft, connecting walkways and monolithic appearance, Trellick Tower is shot from the ground up (bar a couple of long-shots) emphasising its size (98 metres) and geometric otherworldliness. The photos are crisp and detailed, unflinchingly capturing the graffiti and rubbish bins. Not quite as futuristic as some Brutalist buildings, Trellick emphasises function over form but remains a classic. 

In the deluxe package, you get the zine itself in black card covers, a "50th birthday card" containing a 7x5 monochrome photograph and a pop-art Trellick postcard. The whole package is very classy with high production values, and well worth the higher than usual price tag.

STRANGE DAYS VOLUME #10

TITLE - STRANGE DAYS VOLUME #10 | SUMMER 2022

CREATED BY - ANDREW JUHL

GENRE - FORTEANA/UFOs/CRYPTIDS/PARANORMAL PHENOMENA/HIGH STRANGENESS/WEIRD SH*T

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - USA 

7"x5"/BLACK & WHITE/44 PAGES/PERFECT-BOUND 

PRICE - £9.18 + SHIPPING FROM STRANGE DAYS ETSY STORE

Born during the lockdown/quarantine of 2020, "Strange Days" came into being when creator Andrew Juhl started telling friends, quite rightly as it turned out, that they were living in “strange days”. Upon realising that, in fact, the planet Earth has always been strange, and full of strange events, he sat down to collate some of the weirdest stories he could find and created the first issue of this zine in a single afternoon while sitting on his couch. Now on issue 10, aptly featuring a big X on the cover, “Strange Days” the zine, like the high strangeness the world has lived through the past couple of years, shows no signs of stopping.

Still in its surprisingly tactile pocket-sized format, volume 10 kicks off with a classic UFO story from the United Kingdom which was the source of an infamous photograph of an alleged alien craft which has been dubbed the "best UFO photo ever taken". The story involves government cover-ups, secret projects and high-level shenanigans. There's a heart-warming but no less strange story about a lady who received postcards from her deceased mother 60 years after they were posted, and tantalising videos of one of the hot topics of the moment, UAPs, shadowing planes at air shows in the US and UK. Elsewhere, the sighting of a bizarre werewolf-like creature in Amarillo echoes the appearance of a similar beastie in Texas in 1971, the sight of which caused one man to have a heart-attack (he survived though). Amongst the other stories, guest writer Jon McEdward's piece explores how randomising your research can often lead to serendipitous discoveries in the rabbit holes of the internet, a scary story about a sleep paralysis encounter (which I can relate to), a brief history of the mysterious Georgia Guidestones, which were recently significantly damaged and are now pretty much gone, studies of cryptids and Native American mythology and the Tarot card is the 3 of Cups.

One welcome aspect of "Strange Days" is that creator Andrew Juhl rarely makes firm judgements on the stories he features, preferring instead to encourage the reader to seek them out and decide for themselves. The content is varied and engaging, and the print and photography is clear throughout. "Strange Days" offers a condensed dose of weirdness and will appeal to fans of the Fortean Times and the paranormal.

SHUCK #5

TITLE - SHUCK #5

CREATED BY - ADA NEMESIS & MATT WILLIS 

GENRE - FOLK HORROR/FOLKLORE/FOLKTALES FROM NORFOLK AND ITS SURROUNDINGS  

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/50 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £7.50 + SHIPPING FROM THE SHUCK ETSY STORE

Like "Wyrd", "Shuck" has reached five issues (read my review of the first four issues here) and is comfortably fitting into the folklore zine niche while putting its own spin on the genre. The theme and title of issue 5 is "The Deep", it is a heady mix of weird tales, spells you can cast yourself, bold and vivid art by Matt Willis, tarot, recipes and ancient lore. 

As ever, we are welcomed to the zine by the esoteric and otherworldly (literally, as she resides in the afterlife) Ada Nemesis who presents a collection of sea-tainted tales from the haunted wilds of Norfolk. We meet the Happisburgh Torso, the nearly-headless (save for a gristly string of flesh) ghost of a smuggler, the Norfolk witch who supposedly drowned thirteen sailors by boiling the same amount of eggs, (this article also includes an interesting treatise on the history of eggs and their alleged use in witchcraft through the ages), the dreaded Sheringham Yow-Yows, drowned villages and mermaids. 

Issue #5's spell uses the power of the sea to enable the practitioner to let go of something which no longer does them good. Full and clear instructions are given, as always. The lavish centre-spread features a guide to lunar botany and the various plants associated with the different phases of the moon and tides, and there is also a guide to the superstitions of the sea. The issue is rounded off with a recipe for and short history of the potent sea vegetable samphire by Ada herself.

Named after the legendary spectral dog Black Shuck, who pops up in the stories from time to time, the zine is always incredibly informative, well-researched and a gruesomely fun read with a strong emphasis on natural magic and esoterica. Ada Nemesis' writing and Matt Willis' art and illustrations are always high-quality, combining to create a truly enjoyable experience. 

WYRD #5

TITLE - WYRD #5 

EDITED BY - WILL WRIGHT & CLAIRE WYLDHEART, VISIONARY ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATOR 

GENRE - MAGICK / SHAMANISM / MEDITATION / MAGICK / RUNES / OCCULT

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/68 PAGES/FULL-COLOUR/PERFECT-BOUND

PRICE - £8.00 + SHIPPING FROM THE WYRD WEBSITE

Every new issue of "Wyrd" is always a welcome respite from mundane and often moribund life (and in this instance, a heatwave), and issue five is no exception. With an overarching theme of serpents and snakes, "Wyrd" #5 is the usual intense yet accessible mix of intelligent esoterica, deep spirituality and goodhearted fun. [Read my reviews of previous issues here.)

This issue's main articles include "Serpents & Dragons" by editor Will Wright, which expands on this essay in "Wyrd" #1 exploring the concept of the "World Tree" as cosmological map and metaphor for the human nervous system. The piece explores overcoming death anxiety and living in the moment, and is deeply profound, touching on Norse mythology and altered states of consciousness. The striking "dark creations" of folk-horror illustrator Elleanor "Inkapp" Steadman is showcased in her article "Embracing Esotericism", with beautifully reproduced examples of her vivid and nightmarish work. 

Paul Badger's earthy and evocative "Drumming" (Part 1) explores his use of ritualistic drumming, using both synthetic and leather (deer hide) drums. Ending on a tantalising cliff-hanger I'm really looking forward to the next part. In a more contemporary article, "I Am Piffy", the provocative and challenging art of Kim Piffy is showcased in eight of her paintings, mainly collages made from bits of fabric, doodles and writing. The work explores diverse themes such as the pandemic, our inner being and the fleeting hedonism of youth. This is very modern art but it has its roots in the spiritual.

As ever, there's another adventure for Mr. Punch & Friends, the group's number now swelled by new acquaintance Ernie, an ancient shaman archetype who embodies the spirit of the forests. (Named after Herne the Hunter, perhaps? He's got the horns for it.) This time, they enjoy the bluebells blooming in the spring forest and the renewal of nature. In the other regular feature, Wyrd Basics discusses mental health and the benefits of meditation in balance with conventional medical practices, and Claire Wyldheart's "Trance Visions" is another powerfully vivid journey into the secrets of the universe concerning the cosmic serpent, our own DNA and of the difference between the "snakes that crawl on their bellies" and those with wings...

"Wyrd" #5 continues the zine's trademark high production values with beautiful art and photographs throughout, especially in the Mr Punch section. The zine started strong and has maintained a high level of quality ever since, and needs to be high on your zine shopping list. 

THE OCCULTARIA OF ALBION VOLUME XIV - HOEBURY HILL

TITLE - THE OCCULTARIA OF ALBION VOLUME XIV - HOEBURY HILL 

CREATED BY - RICHARD DANIELS & MELODY PHELAN-CLARK

GENRE - WEIRD/FUNNY FICTION FEATURING PARANORMAL EVENTS/ LIMINAL PLACES/ HAUNTOLOGY/FICTIONAL WORLDS/COUNTRYFILE MEETS SCARFOLK

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/24 PAGES/FULL COLOUR/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £5.50 + FREE SHIPPING FROM THE OA WEBSITE [3 ISSUES FOR £12]

"The Occultaria of Albion” is an ongoing part-work chronicling the paranormal, esoteric and just plain weird events that have occurred in various (fictional) locations throughout Albion. Volume XIV (that’s 14 in old money) is dedicated to the phenomena associated with Hoebury Hill in West Sussex.

In it, we learn of the bizarre and tragic life of Maureen Monroe (née Munsen) - star of the sexploitation classic “Gasoline Bikini”, UFO abductee, Temple of Xubix acolyte, reluctant prophet and discoverer of the rudest hill-figure EVER; a hang-gliding flight takes a turn for the weird as a bank analyst experiences a time-slip and runs foul of the dreaded Nihlex Industries; and suspected witch Tabitha Bones does her bit for the war effort by drawing German bombers to their doom on top of Hoebury Hill. Elsewhere, the “Did You Know?” section offers factoids about the weird events associated with Hoebury Hill over the years.

“The Occultaria of Albion” is a fun and freaky collection of tales, made tangibly real and all-too plausible by the mix of Richard Daniels’ cleverly observed writing and Melody Phelan-Clark’s familiar art and design. The continuity of the mythos and refusal to break the “fourth wall” create a believable world. The zine is eminently collectable and carries a pleasing hauntological ‘70s vibe, and is one of my favourite things ever.

*

And if you fancy a deep dive into the Occultaria world, why not join the OAKnights PATREON, through which you will receive each new issue as it is released, a monthly newsletter, membership card and shiny badge. You’ll also be supporting the ongoing project.

*

AND if you have a hankering to experience the weird world of The Occultaria of Albion in the flesh, the OA-meister himself, Richard Daniels, will be presenting "Chasing the Wolves of Weird - An Evening of Supernatural Exploration" at Louth town Hall on Friday 23rd September, filled with conspiracies, cryptids and cheese sandwiches. Tickets available from the Occultaria of Albion.

MYTH & LORE PRESENTS - THE MAGIC OF MORRIS

TITLE - MYTH & LORE PRESENTS - THE MAGIC OF MORRIS 

CREATED BY - MYTH & LORE (ART BY GEIST)

GENRE - MORRIS DANCING AND MORRIS SIDES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/32 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PAMPHLET

PRICE - £5.00 + SHIPPING (CURRENTLY OUT OF STOCK) PLUS A "FOOL" PRINT AND TWO THEMED BADGES FROM MYTH & LORE

If you’ve already sampled the excellent folklore zines from Myth & Lore (see my review of #2 “Fungus Among Us” here), you’ll love this one-off title, “The Magic of Morris”, in which the M&L team interview nine Morris groups, known as “Sides”, from around the U.K.

Despite it being one of the country’s oldest traditions, the U.K. has always had a weird relationship with Morris dancing, often regarding it as a object of ridicule, so to see a balanced and inclusive zine expressly devoted to it is wonderful.

The members of the Morris sides, from Glastonbury to Chapel-en-le-Frith in the Peak District, share their views on why they do it and why they consider Morris dancing to still be important today. Full social media links for each Side are included. There is also a quick guide to the various types of Morris dancing, photos of the sides in action and more of Geist’s superb artwork throughout.

The Magic of Morris” is a necessary, concise and earthy glimpse into ancient traditions that endure today, full of fun, life, energy and a strong sense of community. Hopefully this will be the first of many titles in the "Myth & Lore Presents" series. 

CREATOR SPOTLIGHT #1 | CLUMSY KISSES PART 2 | MANIC STREET PREACHERS/SHY PUNK #2/OPINIONATED NOBODY #15/TRACKS OF MY YEARS

 "clumsykisses" is Rebecca McCormick, who is steadily producing highly personal and insightful zines on various subjects including her favourite songs, bands and television programmes, as well as perzines about her own life. The zines are stapled photocopies, usually in mini-zine format but occasionally A5, and full of content which is always interesting. I am highlighting four more titles here in part 2 (read part 1 here) The clumsykisses Etsy store can be found here, with all titles currently available. 

TITLE - JUST CHEAP TARNISHED GLITTER - A ZINE ABOUT THE MANIC STREET PREACHERS [APRIL 2016]

A5/48 PAGES/B&W STAPLED PHOTOCOPIED PAGES

PRICE - £2.00 + SHIPPING - LINK

The list of successful Welsh bands is not a long one, but we’ve had our moments, and CK is a fan of one of the best ones - the Manic Street Preachers. Following zines about Bruce Springsteen and The Clash (see part 1), the Manics also get the ClumsyKisses treatment, with guest articles and “top fives” from friends and fans. The zine itself is the (almost) full story of CK founder Rebecca McCormick’s life journey with the band from first discovering them, falling out of love with them and then rediscovering the band. There are album reviews, quotes, sections on the Manics’ literary influences, personal reminiscences linked to songs, and key events in the band’s life, which themselves are linked to important events in Rebecca’s own life: a history of the Manic Street Preachers as well as a personal history. Friends are made and lives changed through the Manics’ music. This zine is intense in places but also a true joy to read with a lot of content.

[N.B. There is a warning in the introduction about mentions in the zine of self-harm and suicide. This is expected if you know the history of the band, but it needs to be said.]

TITLE - SHY PUNK #2 [MARCH 2019]

4" X 4"/45 BLACK & WHITE PHOTOCOPIED PAGES 

PRICE - £2.00 + SHIPPING - LINK

Shy Punk is an ongoing zine about things that Rebecca McCormick considers to be punk, and a few things that are definitely not. The choices in issue 2 may be surprising - nothing so obvious as Johnny Rotten’s socks, but the Sex Pistols do get a mention. Instead we get the singer Emmy the Great, treating people with kindness, laziness, libraries, knitting and crochet as a feminist act, lidos, and much more. There is also a more serious section on things which are not punk including abusers in the punk scene, buying off Amazon, people being preachy about food and the aforementioned Sex Pistols - which I wholeheartedly agree with. Another CK must-read, and one of my favourites so far.

TITLE - OPINIONATED NOBODY #15 [FEBRUARY 2020]

6" X 4"/24 BLACK & WHITE PHOTOCOPIED PAGES 

PRICE - £1.00 + SHIPPING - LINK

Written and assembled during the early days of 2020 and the lockdown, the main ongoing perzine from ClumsyKisses, “Opinionated Nobody”, has reached its 15th issue. Rebecca lays her soul bare on the worst things in recent British history like the most recent U.K. election, Brexit etc, through stressful Christmases with family (something we can all recognise) but also on positive subjects such as her love for crochet and attending “Weirdo Zine Fest” (I’m jealous!) and her birthday celebration. The zine is rounded off with a piece about trying vegetarianism and a recipe for spiced carrot lentil soup. “Opinionated Nobody” #15 is honest, funny and awesome and is a must-read.

TITLE - THE TRACKS OF MY YEARS [JANUARY 2020]

A5/22 BLACK & WHITE PHOTOCOPIED PAGES 

PRICE - £2.00 + SHIPPING - LINK

One of the most heartfelt zines produced by Rebecca, this zine consists of fifteen of her most favourite songs and essays about what they mean to her. These are often very emotional and personal stories in their own right, especially in the section for the Queen track “These Are The Days Of Our Lives”. This is a perzine that really lives up to the name. The list includes songs from Bruce Springsteen, the Manics, the Clash (all of whom feature in their own excellent zines from CK), David Bowie and the Beatles etc alongside less well-known acts such as Rancid, The Academy Is… and Grace Petrie.

HWAET! #1

TITLE - HWAET! #1

CREATED & EDITED BY - GEORGE PARR & BUNTY MAY MARSHALL (PLUS CONTIBUTORS)

GENRE - FOLKLORE/FOLK HORROR 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM 

A5/68 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PERFECT BOUND

PRICE - £8.00 + SHIPPING FROM THE HWAET! WEBSITE

Recently announced to much excitement amongst the zine-buying cognoscenti, “Hwaet!” is a brand new title jostling for space on the folklore zine shelf. That’s a crowded shelf, but there’s always room for another zine, especially when it’s as intelligent as “Hwaet!”. Packaged in a black presentation envelope complete with wax stamp (which you’ll want to keep), patience is required and rewarded as you loosen the string closure holding it shut. Fear not, the contents more than live up to expectations.

In much the same way as all folklore zines, the aim of “Hwaet!” is to explore how ancient ideas can intrude into, and survive in, the present day. Each issue will have a specific theme, with the first issue’s being folklore and ancient traditions. The articles explore themes of the reinterpretation of ancient traditions and reconnection with nature. The zine’s introduction explains the origin of “hwaet!” (rhymes with “cat”) as the first word of the epic Beowulf poem which has been subject to much mistranslation and reinterpretation over the centuries.

Folklore-inspired music is covered in an interview with the band Green Lung, who share their influences and love of folk horror cinema, and a chat with Lindy Fay-Hella, vocalist with Wardruna, who explores the influence of nature on storytelling and lyric writing. There is also a curated Spotify playlist which can be accessed via a QR code. All this music provides excellent accompaniment to reading the zine!

"Hwaet!" has beautiful packaging.

In what is possibly a first for a folklore zine, a video game is featured in the form of the highly original horror title “Mundaun”. Writer Luke Jackson uncovers the folklore origins and influences on the game. Other fun features include a folky reading and watchlist, a folk horror trope bingo game and the folk horror map of Britain. These last two are available as prints from the web shop.

Amongst the other excellent articles, Ria Wigley explores the origins of vampires through the years up to the present day, and discovers that they have become a metaphor for the LGBTQ+ community, and George Parr takes an intelligent look at the cult TV show “Detectorists”, the folklorists’ favourite which has the theme of the past being uncovered in the present at the heart of its storytelling. Parr also proffers articles on the diverse meaning of rituals and the enduring legacy of the festival of Beltane, and why we still burn the Wicker Man. Both are deeply researched and informative. Bunty May Marshall rounds off the issue with a look at the prolific image of the “Three Hares” in folklore.

Apparently, I was the first person to place an order for “Hwaet!”: an accolade I shall be forever proud of. This zine has an identity all its own, with a strong inclusivity vibe running through it. It is easily on a par with the best folklore zines, and the content certainly matches the promise of its lush packaging. It’s intelligent and it looks good. “Hwaet!” has started strong and I wish it every success.

FANTÔMES #1 | FALL 2021

TITLE - FANTÔMES #1 | FALL 2021

CREATED BY - HEX EVANS, LIZBETH POIRIER & VARIOUS CONTRIBUTORS

GENRE - GHOST STORIES/ART & PHOTOGRAPHY/OCCULT 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - CANADA 

A5/60 PAGES/PRINTED ON FOUR COLOUR COPY PAPER AND VELLUM/PAMPHLET 

PRICE - $13 CND + SHIPPING FOR ZINE ONLY OR $20 CND + SHIPPING FOR THE ZINE WITH A PACKAGE OF FOUND PHOTOGRAPHS & WRITINGS, AVAILABLE FROM THE WEBSITE

"Fantômes #1" is a yearly "collaborative ghost story zine" from Canada, with some original features including hidden pages and varied paper types. There are stories, poetry, art, a mixtape and occult flavours. 

Standout stories include "5630 Ohio 122" by Mike Wolf, in which a young man finds the writings of another boy in a derelict house, is indicative of the zine's haunting content, and can be enhanced by an option on the website to buy reproductions of the writings and photographs found in the story. "The Solitary Tree" by James Chip evokes an M.R. James-like atmosphere with a a tale about the terrible consequences of disturbing the past.

Prepare your ritual blade to cut these smaller pages open...

..."forbidden knowledge" awaits within.

Some pages are printed on material like tracing-paper featuring occult images, but the quirkiest feature is the "zine within a zine" - smaller pages which have to be cut open along the bottom to reveal hidden secrets: instructions are included as to how to do this via your own personal "ritual blade", but the kitchen scissors will do. There is also a diverse and haunting mixtape printed in the zine, the link to which is available on the website to listen to whilst reading.

All the better for being a yearly publication, "Fantomes" #1 is a strikingly original anthology with an unsettling and sinister vibe running through it: creeping terror rather than overt horror. The production values are first-class with and fans of dungeon-synth will love the moody photos of ruined castles on the front and back inside covers. The stories are excellent and the poetry is visceral and esoteric. I'm a little late to the party with the first issue being nearly a year old and Issue 2 already in production, but I'm glad I took a belated journey into the cobwebbed world of "Fantomes", and so will you.

DRIVE-IN ASYLUM SPECIAL #6 - 1981 YEARBOOK SPECIAL

TITLE - DRIVE-IN ASYLUM SPECIAL #6 | 1981 YEARBOOK SPECIAL 

EDITED BY - BILL VAN RYN

GENRE - HORROR/CULT/GRINDHOUSE MOVIE REVIEWS 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - USA 

72 PAGES/COLOUR COVER WITH B&W AND COLOUR PAGES/5.5" BY 8.5" PAMPHLET

PRICE - £6.17 + SHIPPING FROM GROOVY DOOM ETSY STORE

As a recent convert to the excellent "Drive-In Asylum" zine (read my review of #23 here) the prospect of a bumper issue of reviews of movies from 1981 (Inseminoid! Halloween II! Scanners!) from the Groovy Doom stable was too sweet a prospect to pass up. 

The "1981 Yearbook Special" is the sixth DIA Special issue, and it's a beast. Once again filled with reproductions of movie posters, stills, drive-in flyers and the kinds of ads you couldn't show to your mother, the zine is a joy to read each movie review is well-written and accessible - no pretentious analysis here, these guys just know and love horror movies, and it shows - and illustrated with original posters and newspaper ads etc, creating a kind of document of the social history of the 20th century as well as a collection of reviews. The films covered include well-known classics such as "The Howling" and "Halloween II", alongside less celebrated fare like "Dead & Buried" and "Inseminoid", while still finding space to pay tribute to the Michael Caine "killer severed member" potboiler "The Hand"! 

As with "Drive-In Asylum" itself, the "Yearbook" is filled with honest, first-rate writing and created with a sense of fun and a true love for horror films. Like the cinemas that showed these movies back in the day, it's grimy, greasy and glorious! 

UHMZINES INTERNATIONAL BRUTALISM SERIES #5 - BELGRADE

TITLE - UHMZINES INTERNATIONAL BRUTALISM SERIES #5 - BELGRADE 

CREATED BY - STEFANO SAMA & ROB SCHOFIELD

GENRE - PHOTOS OF THE BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE OF BELGRADE

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - UNITED KINGDOM

A5/24 PAGES/BLACK & WHITE/PAMPHLET/CARD COVERS/LIMITED TO 50 COPIES 

PRICE - £5.00 + SHIPPING FROM UHMZINES ETSY STORE
 

Following on from the first four issues in the International Brutalism series (read my review here), this time around Stefano Sama compiles striking monochrome photographs of the streets of Belgrade, taken by Rob Schofield in 2019. 

As expected from an Eastern European country, the older architecture is monolithic and soaring, built to convey power rather than beauty, and clearly influenced by other Brutalist buildings such as London's Trellick Tower, as can be seen in the cover photo of the Western City Gate. By contrast, the architecture of New Belgrade is futuristic and functional, with cleaner and sleeker lines.

Like Sama's other ongoing Brutalist photography series "Brutal", the zine is crisply produced with minimal text to allow the stark photographs to be enjoyed without distraction. Still some of the best Brutalism-themed zines on the market, this series, and the aforementioned "Brutal", are all highly recommended.