From idea to product—fast. In this episode, we explore how RazorLAB is making laser cutting in Manchester accessible, reliable, and surprisingly easy for designers, students, makers, and brands.

✅ Speed + precision for prototypes and production
✅ File checks, clear quotes & quality control—no guesswork
✅ Materials from acrylic and plywood to leather and card
✅ Smart tips to save time, cut costs, and reduce waste
✅ Real Manchester wins: café signs, fashion pieces, models & more

If you're a creative needing quick turnarounds without compromising on quality, RazorLAB is your go-to.

🔗 Send your file, get a quote, and start making: https://razorlab.online/make/

🎧 Hit play and discover how to bring your next idea to life—on time and on budget.

How RazorLAB Is Transforming Laser Cutting Manchester Creative Industry

A few months ago I met a girl from Belarus and we quickly became great friends. Her friendship inspired me to write a track entirely in Belarusian.

The beat is pure boom‑bap—hard‑hitting drums, dusty samples and a warm low‑end that nods to classic hip‑hop while letting the melody breathe.

Composition:
Instead of recording the vocals myself, I fed the final lyric sheet into a state‑of‑the‑art vocal synthesis engine. The AI gave me a clean, slightly otherworldly voice that respects the natural cadence of Belarusian while staying perfectly in sync with the instrumental.

Why “Зоры, зоры” is the anchor
The repeated refrain “Зоры, зоры” (the stars) became my anchor. Every time the track loops back to that line, I picture myself looking up at an unfamiliar sky, wondering where my own soul belongs. That sense of “searching for a place” is exactly what I want listeners to feel—whether they’re from Minsk, São Paulo, or anywhere in between.

Зоры в небе

Song Description – “My Love Fear (Classical Version)” by Dean R. Chandler

Originally composed back in 2003, “A Love Fear” is a piece of music that has lingered with me for over two decades. I could never quite find the right words to match the emotion in the music — that delicate tension between attraction and hesitation, the beauty and the terror of love. So this year, I decided to do something different… I handed the title and theme to AI and asked it to write the lyrics.

It was a bit of an experiment — part curiosity, part surrender — but I have to admit, I’m genuinely pleased with what came back. The AI seemed to understand the feeling behind the music better than I expected, turning my old melody into something poetic and complete. I don’t regret giving it the chance. In fact, I plan to let it finish a few more of my unfinished songs, not to replace my own writing, but to learn from it — to see how it interprets emotion and phrasing in ways I might not have thought of.

This classical version strips the track down to its essence — piano, strings, and emotion. It’s A Love Fear as it was always meant to be heard: fragile, haunting, and honest — a conversation between human feeling and machine interpretation.

MY LOVE FEAR

[Verse]
Her eyes are storms
The quiet kind
A pull so deep
I lose my mind
Her smile a thief
It steals my air
I’m standing here
Do I even dare

[Prechorus]
To take the leap
To cross the line
What if her heart won’t beat with mine

[Chorus]
A love fear
It cuts me in two
The thrill
The fall
What should I do
I’m running toward her
Running away
Will love stay
Will love stay

[Verse 2]
Her voice is velvet
Soft and low
It wraps around me
Won’t let go
But love’s a gamble
Hearts can break
How much of me will this love take

[Prechorus]
A whisper says
Just take the chance
But shadows linger in the dance

[Chorus]
A love fear
It cuts me in two
The thrill
The fall
What should I do
I’m running toward her
Running away
Will love stay
Will love stay

My Love Fear

Is it about heroin? Or a different kind of ride?

Lifted

Fuck It

Spooky

In the latest episode of the State of the Arts Podcast, host filmmaker and writer Des Doyle chats with Catherine Doyle, internationally bestselling and award-winning author of The Dagger and the Flame, The Rebel And The Rose and The Storm Keeper trilogy.

Produced in partnership with Film Ireland and supported by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland through the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme, the State of the Arts series explores the creative processes, industry challenges, and new opportunities that both Irish and international creatives face in today’s ever-evolving artistic landscapes.

In this conversation, Doyle shares insights into her creative journey - from inspirations, to the practical aspects of building emotionally rich, imaginative worlds for young readers, to writing Romantasy books with the City Of Fantome trilogy and  co-authoring the bestselling Twin Crowns trilogy. She discusses her journey, becoming successful, and gives helpful insight into how she managed to pen 13 books in a decade.

Follow the journey of State of the Arts here: https://www.instagram.com/sotapod/

Read more about this episode here: https://www.filmireland.net/state-of-the-arts-podcast-bestselling-author-catherine-doyle-with-host-des-doyle

State of the Arts: Bestselling Author Catherine Doyle (The Dagger and the Flame) with host Des Doyle

🎬 SONG INSIGHT — “it’s valid” by 4Me2BeFree

“it’s valid” is a comedic meltdown wrapped in razor‑honest rap. The song lives in the space between unbothered confidence and the chaos of a mind sick of being told how to heal. It blends sarcasm, queer swagger, meme‑era slang, and raw spoken‑word rage into a cinematic venting session that doubles as empowerment. This track is a confession, a confrontation, and a dare. It laughs, snaps, collapses, resurrects, and sneezes on cute boys on purpose. It’s messy, unfiltered, and stubbornly real — the sound of someone reclaiming their story by refusing to sanitize it.

This is the queer anti‑pep‑talk anthem for anyone who’s ever said:
“I’m exhausted, but also? I’m fabulous. And you can’t do a thing about it.”

📝 LYRICS — “it’s valid”

[Intro]
awwww, it’s valid—
it’s giving complicated—
too late to be pressed—
logic or logistics, whatever—
call it statistics—
but let’s be honest,
not everyone’s built like me—
what a wild place that’d be.

[Verse 1]
If I hear one more damn word—
“You good?”
“He’s mid anyway!”
“Bro, you’re literally thriving…”
“Get back out there.”
“Still on that?”
“You should make happy tracks.”

Welcome to the world of fake—
here’s a vibe, go choke on that.
Fed up with your NPC energy,
tired of every blank stare like I care.

No cap—yeah, it gets old—
but I’m the realest one I know.
I spit what I think,
feel what’s raw—
you wanna know what it’s like to be real?
Try honesty—shit burns.

I don’t lie for likes,
don’t sugarcoat for the algorithm,
don’t bankroll my own slogans,
don’t tap dance for your messy night—
It ain’t me, bitch,
it’s you tonight.

Yeah, I point fingers,
call out the weak,
lived too long doubting myself,
giving a shit about what you said—
or what you thought.

But being down bad at one,
being the bottom—
“Pause, no homo, right?”
worked out just fine—
“That’s what they said.”
Wanna know why?
‘Cause I’m not buying the narrative you're selling,
not sipping reality from your feed—
no buffer, no stream, just the raw.

[Chorus]
You know what slaps?
My unbothered energy pisses you off.
You wish you felt like this,
wish you had this freedom—
nothing to lose, everything to gain—
it’s perspective, bestie,
and you can’t Prime‑ship that.

[Bridge]
We live like NPCs,
pressed about nothing,
scrolling our souls into oblivion.
The voice says:
“You’re not this… just RUN, Bobby—run.”
Arguing with your own brain,
or maybe you just left yourself on read.

“Oh my God, did he just—?”
“That is so chaotic. He’s unhinged!”
“Can’t wait to tell Bobby.”

The point got lost?
That is the point.
Too busy buying shit—
to eat, to flex, to post—
the drip, the aesthetic—
“It’s fantastic!”
All lost in the sauce.

[Chorus]
So yeah,
be salty,
stay mid,
be basic,
suffocate in a life that’s cap.
You be that.
I’ll be over here in a dress,
zero fucks given,
eating chips and dip,
sailing away on my brainwaves—
so queer, I’m catching feelings—
and I’m about to…
ahh‑chooo
Oh snap—sorry, bro,
you’re kinda fine.

[Outro]
It’s my song about not giving a fuck.
Swipe away, scroll away—
just don’t forget what it means
to be you.

awwww, it’s valid,
it’s giving complicated—
yeah, I handled business—
goodnight—

Aaaashhhhhh‑shhhooooo—
Oh—he is cute…
come here…
I said, come here.


🛡️ COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All lyrics and content featured in this post are protected under copyright (© 2025) and have been securely time‑locked and validated through a crypto‑based verification system to ensure originality and ownership. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of any part of these works without explicit consent is strictly prohibited.

it’s valid”

Ever wondered what happens when indie rock panic meets post-punk denial and jangle-pop optimism?

Well… this track answers it:

👉 A person literally baking a cake during a fire alarm.

The whole world outside is going full “Doom & Gloom: Live Edition” —
sirens crying, neighbours screaming, smoke creeping under the door —
and our hero is standing there like:

“Yeah yeah, apocalypse, whatever — the crust needs two more minutes.”

This song is basically the spiritual successor of:

“This is fine.”

“I’ll panic later, I’m busy.”

“If the roof falls, at least the frosting slaps.”

It’s the anthem for anyone who has ever ignored a real problem
because something in the oven was at a critical emotional moment.

Expect:
🥁 jangle guitars that sound like your smoke detector having an existential crisis
🎸 indie-rock riffs that slap harder than the collapsing ceiling
🔥 post-punk energy that whispers: “buddy… you’re not okay, but the cake is”
🍰 and a level of chaotic calmness that should not legally be allowed

If the world ever burns again (give it 48 hours),
blast this track, grab a whisk,
and remember:

WORRY NEVER BAKED A THING.

Lyrics:

While the world was burning,
I was checking the oven light.
Everybody ran outside,
I just wanted the crust right.
Sirens screaming in the streets,
and I'm measuring flour like it’s peace.
Smoke is leaking under every door,
but hey — the batter needs a little more.

Maybe I should worry,
but worry never baked a thing.
Maybe I should hurry,
but hurry never made it sing.

So I’m baking a cake in a fire alarm,
with the kitchen shaking like it means me harm.
All the neighbours shout that I should escape,
but the timer’s ticking — sorry, no break.
If the world goes down, I’ll still stay calm,
mixing sugar in a natural charm.
Yeah, the roof might drop, but the taste’s divine —
let the flames go crazy, the cake’s still mine.

The smoke turned into dancing ghosts,
cheering for the butter I added most.
Someone knocked and yelled: “Get out!”
But the batter rose — so I stayed devout.
There’s chaos on the news tonight,
but I’m beating eggs like I’m ready to fight.
Ash is falling like confetti rain,
and I’m greasing the pan to stay sane.

Maybe it looks foolish,
but foolish keeps me whole.
If life’s a burning building,
I’ll frost it with control.

So I’m baking a cake in a fire alarm,
with the kitchen shaking like it means me harm.
All the neighbours shout that I should escape,
but the timer’s ticking — sorry, no break.
If the world goes down, I’ll still stay calm,
mixing sugar in a natural charm.
Yeah, the roof might fall, but the taste’s divine —
let the flames go crazy, the cake’s still mine.

Let the ashes fall, let the headlines scream —
I’ll stir the chaos into whipped-cream dreams.
If everything crumbles and nothing survives,
I’ll still bake sweetness into bitter lives.

So I’m baking a cake in a fire alarm,
with the world collapsing like it means me harm.
Everyone’s running but I stay in place —
there’s magic rising in this metal case.
If the night goes dark, I’ll still stay warm —
in a kitchen storm, in a sugar-storm.
Yeah, the city can crumble, the sirens can whine —
I’ll be here baking —
the cake is mine.

Baking a Cake in a Fire Alarm

Synthesisers, electric bass, instrumental jam.

A quick experiment built from a pair of Oblique Strategies cards:

“Honour thy error as a hidden intention” / “Just carry on”

This track started as an improvised bass demo over a simple low-note loop meant to replace a click track. I accidentally recorded four mismatched fingerboard-taps while trying to sketch a candombe-style groove — and instead of deleting them, I looped them across the whole piece. The synth layers were added later to make the odd bass/percussion hybrid loop actually work.

Loose playing, strange chord ideas, and all the imperfections left in on purpose. A fun morning session that I may revisit later.

for this challenge:
https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0727-polar-strategies/

Candombecito Improvisado (disquiet0727)

Tiago Stocco (TIS) – DJ, producer and composer spanning Trance, Psytrance, Techno, Boom‑Bap and Phonk. Born in Brazil and based in Berlin, he draws on video‑game culture and electronic beats to craft tracks that fuse sound and visual storytelling. “Music is the soundtrack to my own world‑building.” – TIS

"If it didn’t matter, it wouldn’t hurt. Pain is the gift of knowing you’re alive."

4Me2BeFree is more than music—it’s my story, my scars, and my survival. Every song is a piece of me, a raw melody of love, heartbreak, and resilience. I blend AI-generated vocals and instruments with real emotions, turning my experiences—especially from an LGBTQ+ perspective—into something that speaks to anyone who's ever felt lost, broken, or just searching for something real.

Breakup songs? Yeah, they hit different. Music carries us through the worst of it, and every generation finds their own anthems of love, loss, and getting back up. Heartache doesn’t care about age, gender, or where you come from—music connects us all.

I make music because I’ve been there. The pain, the anger, the hope—it's all in these songs. If something here hits home for you, let it. If you feel something, let me know. That’s the connection that keeps this alive.

RazorLAB offers online laser cutting services and engraving in the United Kingdom, catering to businesses and individuals. Our commitment is centred on delivering high-quality results with punctuality. We provide a wide range of customizable options tailored to your needs, allowing you to focus on your creative designs without worrying about the outcome. RazorLAB has earned the trust of numerous satisfied customers by consistently delivering online laser cutting services and engraving in the UK. We specialize in four materials for custom projects: acrylic, wood, fabric, card laser cutting services and engraving. Whether you need precise cuts or intricate engravings, we have the expertise. Contact us today!

About

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRMpYn3DaExz7nilHD0_DMTQvKzAScuXxLZdVw0/?igsh=OHV3anV6MTZzaTR0

I’m Dean R. Chandler — a London based songwriter, recording artist, and storyteller. My music is rooted in a lifelong search for meaning, weaving together themes of love, loss, faith, alien contact, and humanity’s future.

My upcoming double concept album Human Odyssey (set for release in January 2027) is the culmination of decades of writing and reflection. It’s a narrative journey that begins with a search for God and ends with an encounter with extraterrestrial intelligence — exploring not only what it means to be human, but also where we might be heading as a species. Musically, it draws inspiration from the epic storytelling of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, the synth-driven edge of Gary Numan, and the emotional depth of artists like Tori Amos and Chris de Burgh.

I previously released Time Machine – Reflecting Shattered Dreams (2014) and continue to revisit my archive of songs written across 35 years, reimagining them with today’s tools and sounds. Some pieces remain intimate and acoustic, while others expand into dark rock, industrial, or orchestral landscapes — but all are connected by a focus on emotional honesty and cinematic storytelling.

Beyond music, I’m fascinated by the intersection of creativity and technology. I’ve been experimenting with AI-driven composition and production to bring old demos to life and to spark entirely new works. For me, these tools are not replacements for human artistry but extensions of it — ways of unlocking stories and emotions that otherwise might have remained hidden.

At its heart, my work is about connection: to the past, to the future, and to the unseen mysteries of existence. Music, for me, isn’t just entertainment — it’s a chronicle of transformation, a conversation between spirit, science, and sound.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-r-chandler-b19715382/
www.deanrchandler.co.uk

multi-instrumentalist & composer.
Genre fluid music for images / instrumental / contemporary post-fusion / experimental jazz / electro acoustic ambient / melodic noise / neoclassical / naive hard core / cosmopolitan world music.

bio here:
http://dedeland.com/daniel-diaz-bio/


In some words:
Composer, arranger, producer, multi-instrumentalist. Born in Argentina,
I studied music in Buenos Aires, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Paris.

For 20 years, I developed an important career as a session and backing musician in Argentina and Europe, playing, among other instruments, the bass, touring and recording with many jazz, rock, fusion, world, Latin and tango bands.

At the same time, I worked as an arranger, producer and musical director with many projects and artists in the USA, Argentina and Europe.

From 1992 to 1997, I performed my compositions live with my own band in Buenos Aires and began a solo recording career with the worldwide release of my first album "The Years Alone" on the North American label Green Linnet/Xenophile. On this album I arranged and performed 11 of my songs written between 1986 and 1993. I played most of the instruments, but included guest appearances by some great South American players.

My recording career continued with "Segundo Ciclo" (1997), released worldwide by Timeless Records, and 12 more albums released between 2000 and 2016.

Currently, I work as an on-demand film/TV composer while continuing to play live and produce.

Hi there — welcome to my corner of the web.

I’m here for one simple reason: to share my music with you.
Take a listen, explore, and I hope something here resonates with you. Enjoy the vibe!

Covering all things cinema on the island of Ireland.

New tracks tagged #CreativeProcess