The Vacuum
These days, many zines tend to publish issues by theme, which is a good way of opening up areas of discussion and getting lots of different contributions on the same loose idea. Belfast’s The Vacuum is one magazine to have adopted this approach, with topics including design, nostalgia, childhood, Ireland, and Englishness. The result is a good-looking volume full of sharp and insightful writing. The Design issue [pictured] features an in-depth look at various local council logos (a mixture of abstract life forms and frolicking deer, as it turns out) and a great slice of invective on Northern Ireland’s latest answer to OK! Magazine. In other words: “chunky Eamon Holmes smugly dandling his missus on his knee”. A really enjoyable read.
