New Wave, New Sounds, No News

Bootlegging’s a fitting, honest theme to run throughout a clothing range. A “bootleg” is traditionally a piece of music that’s been reappropriated or reused by someone other than its owner, usually without their consent. And hey, what are clothes other than hybrids of what’s come before? Think you’ve come up with something unique? Pfft, get over yourself. That’s why this blend of all things Caribbean dancehall culture from No News, just, works, however unlikely it seems. A little imagination goes a long way in the drab world of men’s clothing.

The dancehall scene came out of the major record labels having the monopoly on what was played on the radio stations in Jamaica in the 50s and 60s. Artists and DJs were forced to take things into their own hands to get their music out there and onto the streets — pressing and distributing their own records, throwing parties etc. — and what emerged is now a cherished faction of Caribbean history. At the time of its inception, however, it was a grassroots, DIY culture, and that’s the era that the “No News” collection is exploring, with various other flavours added for a little texture. The tees have a vintage feel, but you can tell that they’re not. Rifling through the wardrobes of the deceased was fun for a while, but it’s time to leave the musty funk behind and start buying your clothes new. Subtle, tasteful prints and slogans perpetuate the range, enough for the bystander to note, but not overt enough to incite the insufferable, “what’s that mean?” The pick of the lot being the signature piece, “New wave, new sounds, no news,” — sounds like a sensible idiom for sitting out the imminent apocalypse to me.

Flicking through the rest of the range — button ups with a twist, on trend hoods with something a little extra — we eventually arrive at what, in our humble opinion, are the jewels in the “No News” crown. The “Jah Bless” trunk is the answer to the question that’s been plaguing us for the last three summers — “any colour so long as it’s black, but, where do I go from here?” The green and pale yellow trim is the perfect nod to Jamaican culture, without getting into the dubious zone of being a white guy in a giant rasta beanie (remember the ‘Bong Bob Marley trunks? Jeepers!) Then, the “Freedom Track Pants”. For the unenlightened, men’s fashion hit an unparalleled peak in the late 70s when Bob Marley was exiled in London. Don’t believe me? Punch “Bob Marley soccer tracksuit” into google pics and bask in the everlasting style of an icon. No news is good news alright, and we could all do with a little more radio silence in the year of our lord, 2017.

You can peruse the full collection here. And add their radio to your bookmarks right here.