TRACKS OF THE WEEK #13

THE JAPANESE HOUSE -  CLEAN
I HAVE LOVED WHAT AMBER BAIN HAS BEEN DOING FOR AGES, SO WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO SEE THE JAPANESE HOUSE LIVE (SUPPORTING THE 1975) I WAS SO EXCITED. AS I'D EXPECTED, IT'S BEAUTIFULLY CAPTIVATING TO SEE HER PLAY LIVE. CLEAN IS DEFINITELY MY FAVOURITE TRACK, BUT THEY'RE ALL WORTH A LISTEN. 

JOHNNY LLOYD - HELLO DEATH

FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS THE TRIBES-SHAPED HOLE IN THEIR LIVES FILLING, FEAR NOT BECAUSE FRONTMAN JOHNNY LLOYD IS GOING IT ALONE, AND IT'S SOUNDING EQUALLY AS BRILLIANT AS HE AND HIS FORMER BANDMATES DID. HELLO DEATH IS THE FIRST SONG TO BE RELEASED SINCE HIS DEBUT EP PILGRIMS, AND I HAVE TO SAY ITS MY FAVOURITE OF HIS SOLO STUFF SO FAR.

PLAYFIGHTS - VERONICA

PLAYFIGHTS ARE THREE GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE, WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER. THEY'VE RECENTLY UPLOADED A DEMO EP TO SOUNDCLOUD AND ARE LOOKING TO RECORD AN ALBUM IN THE SUMMER. VERONICA IS MY FAVOURITE, NOT JUST CAUSE IT'S GOT A REALLY NICE RIFF IN THE MIDDLE THAT WOULDN'T SOUND OUT OF PLACE ON A WILD NOTHING TRACK... CIGARETTE COMES UP A CLOSE SECOND THOUGH.

WET - DEADWATER
WET ARE ANOTHER BAND I'VE LOVED FOR AGES BUT NEVER MANAGED TO CATCH LIVE. I FINALLY SAW THEM PLAY AT THE DEAF INSTITUTE ON TUESDAY AND THEY WERE REALLY BRILLIANT. THEY PLAYED PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM DONT YOU, WHICH CAME OUT IN JANUARY. IT WAS REALLY HARD TO PICK ONE SONG BECAUSE ITS A REALLY GOOD ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH, BUT DEADWATER IS A DEFINITE CROWD-PLEASER.

INTRODUCING : CARNIVALS

photo: c/o gatepostmusic

SOUTH-EAST LONDON QUARTET CARNIVALS ARE PUTTING IN THEIR TWO CENTS TO THE EVER-GROWING PSYCH-POP SCENE. I CAUGHT UP WITH THE BAND - CAL, HARRY, JOE AND GEORGE - TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DO, AND HOW THEIR FIRST VENTURE INTO MUSIC WAS SURPRISINGLY VERY FAR FROM ANYTHING YOU'D FIND IN THE 60'S/PSYCH SECTION OF YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE...

> TELL US A BIT ABOUT WHO CARNIVALS ARE. HOW DID YOU START MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER?

G - WE ARE FOUR NORMAL GUYS WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC AND NEEDED AN OUTLET. WE ALL CAME FROM DIFFERENT ROUTES INTO MAKING MUSIC THOUGH. JOE (LEAD GUITAR) AND HARRY (DRUMS) WERE OLD SCHOOL FRIENDS WHO'D WORKED ON VARIOUS PROJECTS TOGETHER, REINVENTING THEIR FAVOURITE SOUNDS. CAL (LEAD VOCALS/GUITAR) WROTE AND PERFORMED A LOT ON HIS OWN AND WITH THE BAND HE WAS IN PRIOR TO CARNIVALS. I PLAYED WITH WHOEVER WAS AVAILABLE AROUND OUR AREA, DOING ORIGINALS, COVERS AND BLUES OPEN MIC NIGHTS. THEN I MET THE OTHERS AT A GIG WE WERE ALL BILLED ON. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW WE GOT TOGETHER...

C - I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH JOE AND HARRY BUT IT WAS ONLY AFTER WE DISCOVERED OUR SIMILAR TASTES IN MUSIC THAT WE'D HAVE THE ODD JAM AT PARTIES, AND EVEN IN TESCO CAR PARK... THEN I JOINED THE BAND OFFICIALLY AND WE STARTED GIGGING. 

> FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HEARD YOUR MUSIC, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?

G - OUR SOUND IS INFLUENCED BY A COMBINATION OF ERA'S AND STYLES. WE HARNESS A LOT OF INFLUENCE FROM 60'S AND 70'S POP BANDS, WHO ARE SOME OF THE BEST MUSICIANS WITH SOME OF THE MOST WELL-CRAFTED SONGS. LIKE THE DOORS, THE KINKS, THE ZOMBIES, PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN...

J - YEAH ALONG WITH THE CLASSICS WE LIKE GROUPS LIKE ARCTIC MONKEYS, TAME IMPALA,  TEMPLES, THE GROWLERS, THE CORAL...

G - TO SUM UP OUR SOUND: WE MAKE INDIE ROCK WITH A TINGE OF PSYCH AND SURF RIFFS BACKED BY A DANCEABLE RHYTHM. 

C - YEAH, WE MAKE PSYCH POP, BUT WE TRY TO KEEP IT AS CATCHY AS WE CAN AND SPICE IT UP WITH TRIPPY RIFFS.

> IF YOU COULD ONLY LISTEN TO ONE ALBUM FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES WHAT WOULD IT BE?

J - THAT'S A TOUGH ONE. I LOVE ARCTIC MONKEYS' HUMBUG, IT'S A REALLY UNDERRATED RECORD...BUT PROBABLY RUBBER SOUL BY THE BEATLES CAUSE IT'S A CLASSIC. 

G - LED ZEPPELIN II - LED ZEPPELIN

C - THE DOORS - THE DOORS

H - TAME IMPALA - LONERISM

> WHAT ARE YOUR EARLIEST MUSICAL MEMORIES?

G - MY EARLIEST MUSICAL MEMORY WAS PRETTY TRAGIC. I WAS ABOUT 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD AND I'D SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PICK UP ON THAT REALLY CHEESY R'N'B TUNE THAT GOES 'LET ME LICK YOU UP AND DOWN...' WHICH MUST HAVE BEEN DOWN TO MY OLDER SISTER'S CHOICE OF CAR MUSIC. ANYWAY I STARTED SINGING IT IN CLASS AND EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT. SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND PERFORMED 'MAMBO NUMBER 5' AT THE END OF YEAR SCHOOL DANCE...BUT FORGOT HALF THE GIRLS' NAMES IN THE SONG, CRIED ON STAGE AND NEVER MANAGED TO LIVE IT DOWN. PRETTY ROCK AND ROLL...

> AND FINALLY, WHAT'S NEXT FOR CARNIVALS?

OUR SINGLE 'SHADOWS' IS OUT NEXT MONTH WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT CAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. WE RECORDED IT AT THE FAMOUS PARR STREET STUDIOS IN LIVERPOOL. THEN ONCE THE SINGLE IS OUT WE'LL BE PLAYING A FEW HEADLINE SHOWS IN LONDON AND OUT OF TOWN TOO WHICH WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO. THERE'S A VIDEO FOR 'SHADOWS'  IN THE PIPELINE TOO. OVER THE SUMMER WE'RE PLAYING AT SOME FESTIVALS WHICH WILL BE AMAZING FOR US. WE'VE ONLY BEEN TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY FOR A YEAR SO TO HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES IS REALLY COOL. 

YOU CAN CATCH CARNIVALS LIVE ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

12TH MARCH @ THE WINDMILL BRIXTON (LONDON)

1ST APRIL @ THE SOCIAL (LONDON)

29TH APRIL @ AMERSHAM ARMS (LONDON)

& FIND THE BAND ON:

TWITTER

SOUNDCLOUD

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

HINDS & PUBLIC ACCESS TV @ GORILLA, MANCHESTER (20/2/16)

AS I MENTIONED IN MY UPDATE POST, HINDS ARE A FAIRLY NEW DISCOVERY OF MINE. WHOLEHEARTEDLY EMBRACING MY NEW FOUND LOVE FOR THE SPANISH QUARTET, I DECIDED TO HAVE A LOOK IF THEY WERE PLAYING IN THE UK ANYTIME SOON... ONCE I REALISED THEY WERE, AND THAT THEY'D BE BRINGING PUBLIC ACCESS T.V. ALONG FOR THE RIDE, IT WAS A DONE DEAL. 

PUBLIC ACCESS T.V. HAVE BEEN A FIRM FAVOURITE OF MINE FOR A WHILE. I'VE ONLY MANAGED TO CATCH THEM LIVE ONCE BEFORE IN LIVERPOOL LAST YEAR WHERE I WAS HIGHLY IMPRESSED. THEY ARE WHAT I IMAGINE THE STROKES WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE TO WATCH IN 2000, HAVING THE SAME SORT OF 'NO MESSING' ATTITUDE AS JULIAN CASABLANCAS AND CO; PLAY THE SONGS, SAY THANKS AND LEAVE. THE CROWD IN MANCHESTER DIDN'T SEEM QUITE AS RECEPTIVE TO THE NEW YORK BOYS AS I'D HOPED, BUT IT IS STILL EARLY DAYS FOR THEM. NONETHELESS, THEY PLAYED WHAT FELT LIKE A SHORT (BUT SWEET) SET FILLED WITH MOSTLY NEW MATERIAL - PRESUMABLY TESTING THE WATER WITH THE CONTENT FOR THE UPCOMING ALBUM.

WHAT APPEALED MOST TO ME ABOUT THIS GIG WAS THAT I WAS WATCHING TWO BANDS OF EQUAL CALIBRE PLAYING ALONGSIDE ONE ANOTHER, RATHER THAN THE LESSER-KNOWN SUPPORT BEING COMPLETELY OVERSHADOWED BY THE HEADLINER, AS IS USUALLY THE CASE. PERHAPS THIS WAS INTENTIONAL TO REFLECT THE BANDS' OWN MENTALITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER? HINDS SUPPORTED P.A.T.V IN AMERICA, AND VICE VERSA IN EUROPE, TO GIVE BOTH A CHANCE TO HEADLINE SHOWS ON THEIR HOME CONTINENT.

HINDS TOOK TO THE STAGE WITH JUST AS MUCH ENERGY AS I HAD EXPECTED, AND MANAGED TO SUSTAIN THE EXCITEMENT IN THE ROOM FOR THE ENTIRE HOUR THAT THEY PLAYED FOR. WITH SOME BANDS IT FEELS LIKE THEY'RE ON AUTO-PILOT WHEN PLAYING LIVE, WHICH ISN'T SURPRISING WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING EVERY NIGHT. BUT WITH HINDS YOU COULD REALLY TELL THAT THEY ALWAYS GIVE IT THEIR ALL, AND LOVE DOING WHAT THEY DO. IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE WAY THEY INTERACTED WITH EACH OTHER, TO HOW APPRECIATIVE THEY WERE OF ALL 530 OF US WHO CAME.
THE SETLIST WAS MADE UP ALMOST ENTIRELY OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM - 'LEAVE ME ALONE' - WHICH WAS ONLY NATURAL, BUT THEY ALSO THREW IN SOME OF THEIR EARLIER EP TRACKS SUCH AS 'BETWEEN CANS' AND OF COURSE 'DAVEY CROCKETT' AT THE CROWD'S REQUEST.

I LEFT DETERMINED TO SEE THEM AGAIN THIS YEAR..PREFERABLY IN SPAIN, AT A FESTIVAL.. WHILST FEELING QUITE SAD THAT I WASN'T PART OF THE HINDS GANG. JUST LOOK AT THAT SISTERLY LOVE RIGHT THERE ^^^^ WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE PART OF THAT?

HINDS ARE CURRENTLY ON TOUR IN THE UK & EUROPE.

GO TO hindsband.com FOR MORE INFORMATION.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY MYSELF.

ART WORK #1

I THOUGHT I'D DO A LITTLE SERIES SHOWING SOME RECENT STUFF I'VE BEEN WORKING ON. FOR ANYONE WHO IS REMOTELY INTERESTED...

'PATTERN IN HUMAN MOVEMENT'TOMATOES AND CACTI

IMAGE PRINTED ON ACETATE, LAID OVER A PAINTED BACKGROUND

FELT TOMATOES

MIXED MEDIA COLLAGE 

..WITH WATERCOLOUR ADDED.

INTRODUCING | THE DESIGN STUDIO

IF FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO 'THE DESIGN STUDIO', WHO CREATE INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED AND HANDMADE FAUX FUR JACKETS, THEN HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
WARNING: YOU WILL WANT EVERY PIECE IN THEIR COLLECTION.

BEING BASED LOCALLY TO ME, AND HAVING SUCH AN  INTRIGUING CONCEPT FOR THE BRAND, I COULDN'T WAIT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE LOVELY LETTIE WHO TOLD ME MORE ABOUT WHAT THE GIRLS DO. 

> WHERE DID THE IDEA OF HANDMADE, ONE-OF-A-KIND FAUX FUR BOMBER JACKETS COME FROM? IT'S A PRETTY UNIQUE CONCEPT! AND BEING A TEAM, HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT A MUTUAL DECISION ON THE STYLE OF THE JACKETS AND THE MATERIALS YOU WOULD USE? 

'MY MUM LECTURED IN FASHION AND TEXTILES FOR OVER 20 YEARS, SO SHE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT FABRICS AND TEXTILES. I USED TO GO FABRIC SHOPPING WITH HER, IT WAS SOMETHING WE LOVED DOING TOGETHER. SHE ALWAYS USED TO MAKE MY CLOTHES FOR ME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. 

ONE DAY WE WERE FABRIC SHOPPING AND I SPOTTED A REALLY UNIQUE ROLL OF MATERIAL, SO I ASKED IF SHE COULD MAKE ME A CARDIGAN OUT OF IT. I WORE IT TO UNI AND ONCE THE WORD SPREAD THAT IT WAS HANDMADE, EVERYONE AT UNI WANTED TO BUY ONE. SO MY MUM MADE A SMALL BATCH OF THEM AND I SOLD THEM AT UNI. 

THE IDEA FOR FAUX FUR CAME IN 2014, WHEN I MADE AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT SELLING THE CARDIGANS. IT REALLY TOOK OFF AND GIRLS ALL OVER THE WORLD WERE BUYING THESE CARDIGANS. WE WANTED TO CREATE A SIMILAR PIECE TO THE CARDIGANS, BUT USING FAUX FUR. IT'S A POPULAR MATERIAL AND IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE HUGE.' 

> TELL ME ABOUT THE DESIGNING AND MAKING PROCESS. DO YOU HAVE SET ROLES OR DO YOU WORK ON ALL ELEMENTS TOGETHER TO CREATE THE FINISHED PRODUCT?

'MY MUM CREATES THE JACKETS FROM HER HOME STUDIO. I CAN'T SEW, DUE TO MY EYESIGHT, SO I REALLY AM GUIDED BY MY TALENTED MUM. SHE DOES BOTH THE DESIGNING AND MAKING, BUT I LOVE DESIGNING TOO. WE WORK TOGETHER WHEN SKETCHING AND CREATING THE JACKETS. WE LOVE SHARING IDEAS WITH EACH OTHER.' 

> YOUR PIECES HAVE ATTRACTED A LOT OF ATTENTION LATELY, FROM THE LIKES OF VOGUE MAGAZINE, MODELS SUKI WATERHOUSE AND THE HALPIN SISTERS, AND EVEN KANYE WEST. GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, WOULD THERE BE ANYONE YOU'D LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH? CELEBRITIES, DESIGNERS.. ANYONE!

'SOCIAL MEDIA IS AN AMAZING THING, ESPECIALLY FOR BUILDING UP AWARENESS OF YOUR BRAND. SUKI ACTUALLY HAD OUR FIRST EVER FAUX FUR BOMBER JACKET; SHE'D FOLLOWED US FOR A WHILE WHEN WE WERE STILL DOING THE CARDIGANS. WE COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER CUSTOMER FOR THE FIRST FAUX FUR JACKET - WE LOVE SUKI! WE'VE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE SOME REALLY TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS SHOOT OUR PIECES. ONE OF THEM, WHO WAS A FRIEND OF JOANNA HALPIN HAD HER MODEL THE JACKETS FOR THE SHOOT. SHE LOVES THEM, WHICH IS GREAT!

IN TERMS OF A COLLABORATION...IT'S HARD...THEY'D HAVE TO BE COOL! AND PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO.'

> ON A SIMILAR NOTE, WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER EXPANDING TDS TO INCLUDE A RANGE OF DIFFERENT PIECES, OR EVEN ACCESSORIES?

'MAYBE. IN THE PAST WE HAVE MADE SNOODS, BUT AT THE MOMENT THE JACKETS SEEM TO BE WHAT THE CUSTOMERS WANT.' 

> THE JACKETS ARE VERY MUCH STATEMENT PIECES. DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR PERSON OR STYLE IN MIND THAT YOU DESIGN FOR, OR WOULD YOU SAY THEY ARE VERSATILE AND ACCESSIBLE TO A RANGE OF STYLES?

'WE DON'T DESIGN FOR ANYONE IN PARTICULAR. OUR CUSTOMERS ARE A RANGE OF AGES, AND COME FROM PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD. I'D SAY OUR PIECES ARE VERY VERSATILE. WE PRODUCE JACKETS IN MOSTLY NEUTRAL COLOURS; IT'S WHAT WE PERSONALLY PREFER, BUT WE LOVE EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW COLOURS AND FABRICS TOO. EVERY JACKET IS COMPLETELY UNIQUE, WHICH MAKES IT SPECIAL TO HAVE A PIECE THAT'S REALLY YOUR OWN.'

I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY HANDS ON ONE FOR THIS A/W. 

JUST A HEADS UP; THESE BABIES SELL OUT IN SECONDS AS THEY ARE ALL ONE-OFFS. SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE UP TO DATE WITH TDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND OUT WHEN THE NEXT COLLECTION HAS BEEN CREATED. 

INSTAGRAM: @thedesignstudiohawarden

TWITTER: @designhawarden

FACEBOOK: THE DESIGN STUDIO HAWARDEN 

SHOP ONLINE @ WWW.THEDESIGNSTUDIOHAWARDEN.CO.UK

PHOTO CREDIT: ALL IMAGES IN THIS POST BELONG TO THE DESIGN STUDIO AND/OR ANY AFFILIATED PHOTOGRAPHERS. 

FLORENCE | JUNE 2015

IN JUNE I SPENT A WEEK IN FLORENCE IMPROVING MY ITALIAN ON A SHORT LANGUAGE COURSE. I'D VISITED THE CITY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT ONLY FOR 2 NIGHTS DOING MOST OF THE TOURISTY STUFF (THE DUOMO, UFFIZZI GALLERY, ETC.), SO HAVING A WEEK TO DISCOVER NEW PARTS OF THE CITY AT A RELAXED PACE WAS REALLY GREAT.

I'VE COMPILED A SHORT LIST BELOW OF A FEW THINGS I'D REALLY RECOMMEND YOU TO CHECK OUT IF YOU'RE EVER IN FLORENCE!

WALK AROUND | FLORENCE IS A VERY SMALL CITY IN COMPARISON TO MOST EUROPEAN CITIES I HAVE VISITED, SO WALKING EVERYWHERE IS DEFINITELY DO-ABLE. I FIND WALKING IS THE BEST WAY TO DISCOVER NEW PLACES AND YOU GET A REAL FEEL FOR THE CULTURE AND ATMOSPHERE THIS WAY.

IL MERCATO CENTRALE 

TEMPIO MAGGIORE FIRENZE 

FOTO AUTOMATICA

BJORK  | INDEPENDANT STORE MOSTLY SELLING CLOTHING, BUT IT ALSO HAS THE MOST INCREDIBLE SELECTION OF MAGAZINES. REALLY NICE STAFF TOO. IT IS IN THE OLTRARNO AREA OF FLORENCE (ACROSS THE RIVER), WHICH IS A LOVELY QUIET AREA. I'D HIGHLY RECOMMEND TAKING A TRIP OVER THERE, BUT DON'T GO VIA THE TOURIST TRAP THAT IS THE PONTE VECCHIO. I PROMISE IT LOOKS BETTER PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A NEIGHBOURING BRIDGE. 

LIBERIA BRAC | A TINY RESTAURANT/BAR IN A BEAUTIFUL SETTING. THROUGH THE COURTYARD (PICTURED ABOVE) IS THE RESTAURANT, COVERED WITH BOOKSHELVES HOUSING HUNDREDS OF BOOKS FOR SALE ON ART/MUSIC/DESIGN. THE FOOD IS AMAZING; ALL VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN, AND IT IS EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY TOO. DEFINITELY BOOK IN ADVANCE. 

FOR GELATO | LA MILKERIA, BORGO DEGLI ALBIZI 87.

FOR COFFEE | CAFE 19.26, VIA GIOVAN BATTISTA NICCOLINI 30. 

                         | L'ARTE DEL SOGNO, BORGO LA CROCE 24-26.

FOR CLOTHES | SOCIETE ANONYME, VIA GIOVAN BATTISTA NICCOLINI 3. 

BARCELONA | MAY 2015

BACK IN MAY MY BOYFRIEND AND I SPENT 4 DAYS IN BARCELONA FOR MY BIRTHDAY. IT WAS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE VISITED, BUT THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO FULLY APPRECIATE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CITY IT IS.

I THOUGHT I'D SHARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE PLACES THAT WE FOUND WHILST EXPLORING, ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF PHOTOS TOO.

GRACIA AREA | A LOVELY CHILLED OUT AREA OF THE CITY WITH PLENTY OF INDEPENDANT CAFES, BARS, RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS. NOT TOO FAR FROM THE CENTRE EITHER, IF THAT'S YOUR THING.

GORILLA BAR | EXCELLENT COCKTAILS, FOOD AND GOOD MUSIC. REALLY REASONABLE TOO.

PRIMAVERA SOUND FESTIVAL | WE SPENT THE SATURDAY HERE SEEING THE STROKES, MAC DEMARCO, AND MORE. WE ALSO HAD THE BEST PULLED PORK BURGERS EVER FROM THIS TINY VAN.

PARK GUELL | THE BEST PLACE TO GET A VIEW OF THE WHOLE CITY, PROVIDING YOU'RE PREPARED TO DO SOME SERIOUS WALKING. MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE OF GAUDI'S CREATIONS.

GENERATOR HOSTEL | THIS WAS NO ORDINARY HOSTEL. WE BOOKED A PRIVATE ROOM WHICH EVEN HAD A BALCONY WITH VIEWS OF THE SAGRADA FAMILIA.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR SOMEWHERE TO STAY ON A BUDGET IN A FANTASTIC PART OF THE CITY.