Fifteen Recommendations
Start your journey into our most recent interviews here - with music and videos. Updated almost daily.
Rania Yasmin about Lyrics
“Music touches the invisible — what can’t really be explained. Poetry tries to make the inexplicable understandable. They meet when both are lived sincerely.”
Jazzy about Energy & Music
There's no shame in Jazzy's DJ sets – everybody's free to scream, release, and go crazy. In fact. tears are a sign that her performance was a success: “I cry way less now because I can can channel and release that energy during my sets and share it with my ravers.”
ISHA Shares her Creative Process
Nothing ever came from small ambitions: A one-woman-performance-unit, ISHA aims to “redefine the jazz-electronic sound.” She's an impressive bassist – but it's really her songwriting-, and vibe-creation chops that make these goals seem remarkably attainable.
Kit Grill about the Magic of Sound(s)
The work of the London-based producer and radio host has a disarming immediacy. Whether Grill aims at the dancefloor or at your heartstrings, his palette is as wide as his influences, and driven by a simple realisation: “A world without music would be dull.”
Raphael Loher about Minimalism
For years, Swiss pianist-composer Raphael Loher found it hard to finish his solo music. Through limitations and trusting his sense for what's really important he broke through the impasse. His latest work for tape machine is testimony to the strange magic of his approach.
WILDES about Lyrics
Her latest song collection may carry the title “The Beauty of it All.” But underneath, these pieces are, as Ella Walker puts it, “particularly candid, blunt and lyrically raw.” There's a risk to confessions this personal – but it's a risk she had to take.
Sakura Tsuruta about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“I’m such a sucker for spatial effects like reverb and delay,” Tokyo producer, Ableton-trainer and composer Sakura Tsuruta says, “I probably overuse them!” On her latest EP, however, every note, treatment and sound is at its right place – it's the aural equivalent of a perfect Lemon Sour.
Katy Guillen & The Drive Share their Creative Process
Katy Guillen and Stephanie Williams honed their songwriting and production chops from the ground up - allowing them to realise their dirty-garage-meets-soulful-country anthems at just the right balance between melancholia and elation, DIY fuzziness and blissful shimmer.
Steiger about Improvisation
Listening is difficult, but when it works, it can take you far. Belgian experimental jazz trio Steiger has put it centre stage in its philosophy, eschewing traditional models of improvisation and taking their performances to places of surreal, charmingly psychedelic wonder.
Attawalpa Recommends Music for Disassociated Moods and Calm, Creatively Open Spaces
Includes albums by Kevin Ayers, Nina Simone, Zulu, JS Bach, and Slipknot.
Monolink about Lyrics
As the German producer shifts from ecstatic dancefloor sounds towards a more expansive style and his drifting tracks enter the realm of songwriting, his talents as a lyricist move to the forefront. What's in a word? For Steffen Linck, an entire universe of emotions.
Jessika Kenney about the Magic of Sound(s)
“I like to imagine that feelings are made of cerebrospinal fluid! In that sense I also like to think that shaping music is like shaping pulses in fluids of various viscosities, as an inner dance.”
Oruã Share their Creative Process
Lê Almeida of Brazilian band Oruã finds inspiration in tragedy, poverty and “parochial and racist separation.” Music is about coping, it is about entering the chaos without fear. Clarity is appreciated, but not a requirement - “good lyrics need to say something, even if it's confusing.”
Zion Garcia about Lyrics
Music is space to Australian lyricist and producer Zion Garcia, it's “what isn't there.” And yet, the words are very much “there,” right in the eye of his trance-inducingly-headnodding, contageous-in-another-dimension abstract-jazz-hop's musical storm.
IKI (Nor) about their Voices and Singing
Five voices melt into one in IKI, but it is a singularity that contains multitudes. Every voice is clearly audible yet part of an organism, each performer's recognisable yet an anonymous part of the collective. This is the future – envisioned by the first instrument of all, the human voice.
Randi & Christian about Collaboration
The collaboration between Pontoppidan and Rønn has developed into a unique musical dialogue, blending acoustic experimentation with electronic textures. They move between improv, prepared piano, voice processing, and open exploration – with curiosity and playfulness at its core.
Oslo Tapes about Kraut & Krautrock
Each krautrock release takes Marco Campitelli to strange new worlds. His music is akin to astral travelling, requiring a “good dose of crazyness” from the performers. His upcoming full-length has the mind-shifting power of an ayahuasca trip and the physical force of a sledgehammer.
Amelia Clarkson about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Some still think composers spend their days locked away and dipping their quill in ink. Over the past year, however, Amelia Clarkson has spent more time travelling than behind her desk. Movement plays a pivotal role in her work – both when it comes to the music and getting it performed.
Ben Reilly about Directions in Hip Hop
“Where do I see the future going? Unfortunately, Idiocracy.”
Eraldo Bernocchi about Building a Nocturnal Rainforest with Merzbow and Iggor Cavalera
“I fall, constantly. There’s no bottom to my fall, except, death.”
Flurin Mück about Drums and Percussion
On Simon Popp's new release, his trio with Flurin Mück and Sebastian Wolfgruber drum, brush, and shake their way towards complete unity, to the point where the borders between tension and release, storytelling and movement in time are crumbling.
Tools of Creation: Oberheim Matrix 1000
Franz Scala about a modestly sized analog synthesizer with a gothic sound and the power of the big polys.
KAU about Directions in Jazz
KAU are associated with the Brussels sound and its community of jazz-leaning creative explorers. Still, the trio's sound is as personal as it is unmistakable, carving alien analog synth textures and sci-fi melodies out of hypnotic groove-oriented jams.
Ida Stein Shares her Creative Process
“It doesn't matter” is the title of one of Ida Stein's darkly alluring electro-pop anthems. In fact, nothing could matter more. Writing and producing her deeply atmospheric, intricately detailed debut album turned into a mission statement, the songs into revelations at the border of chaos and hope.
Clara Vetter of Letters from Nowhere about Collaboration
Neither geographical distance nor social distancing could keep Letters from Nowhere apart. Working with a concept they refer to as “performing with our past selves,” the musicians create improvised movements that cherish uncertainty but are never ashamed of beauty.
Jamie Duffy about Directions in Contemporary Composition
The once close bond between folk and classical music has been all but severed. In the oeuvre of Jamie Duffy it is making a welcome and entirely un-cliched return. Mostly based on piano, tin whistle, and strings, it focuses on intimacy and melody – held together by Irish storytelling magic.
torpedo about Interspecies Communication
Small events made the guitarist of experimental rock band torpedo realise that we can communicate with birds, hear the wishes of plants and see the global implications of small-scale tragedies for life on this planet.
Augusto Baschera about Directions in Jazz
Guitarist Augusto Baschera moves fluidly between classical tradition and jazz. APÓCRIFO, an expansive, emotional, and ambitious work of complex drumming and Augusto's multidimensional lines is testimony to a mind without borders: “Anything that can be turned into music inspires me.”
Meral Polat about Energy & Music
There's the joy of release on the Kurdish-Dutch songwriter-poet's new album, but there is also, on slow-smouldering anthems like “Can,” a sense of something pent-up pushing to the surface. These are the points where vulnerability turns to empowerment, anger is a form of love.
Luc Moindranze about Drums and Percussion
The Réunion songwriter was deeply inspired by the Island's sacred spaces and the power of his first percussive instrument, the roulèr. Integrally fusing subcutaneous shuffles and high-speed rhythms with polyvocal sweetness, he creates spiritual music with a lyrical grounding.
Fanatico X Share their Creative Process
For their new album, the duo covered Jefferson Airplane's classic "White Rabbit.” Astoundingly, their version turned out to be even more psychedelic and otherworldly than the original. Spirituality has little to do with it – it's all about “love, religion, and the nature of truth.”
Matthew Ryals on All Things Modular
In an ideal world, Matthew Ryals wouldn't need the modular anymore. Working his way towards an increasingly immediate way of interacting with his instrument, he is gradually approaching the point where voltage is his material, and electricity becomes a music of a strange, bewildering grace.
Löwenzahnhonig about the Magic of Sound
Recorded in a barn reminiscent of the one used on Neil Young's Harvest LP, Löwenzahnhonig's new album is a feathery, folky fairytale-fantasy-world of "skylinekisses," "heavy pink snowflakes," and "fondue sandwiches." You can hear a band playing softly – that's all there is, that's all that matters.
Agriculture about Lyrics
Expanding towards black metal, shoegaze, and crust punk, Agriculture's music is constantly at the verge of either exploding or collapsing. Lyrics lend as much direction and consolation to this vast expanse as they add to the confusion – you can't expect to go through purgatory without a little pain.
Kneebody about Directions in Jazz
Kneebody are a force of nature, sculpting a massive man-machine sound driven forward by relentless grooves. And yet, this isn't just a vulgar display of power – even at their most ferocious, it is the notes between the notes that make the quartet stand out.
Alex Remzi of the 8mm Festival about Krautrock as a Philosophy of not Fitting in
“Michael Rother gave me a NEU! T- shirt once. But I’m not a collector and I am not out to copy anything.”
NIIA about her Voice and Singing
“I threw up before and after my first show. It was so visceral and terrifying - but also the first time I experienced pure bliss.”
Kisu Min Share their Creative Process
The Rudolf Steiner House is an actual place. But for the Polish band, it is also a point on their creative topography: It rose from the subconscious and started manifesting itself in an autumnal song cycle of sullen chords, sweet vocals and echoes of The Smiths and The Cure.
Bremer/McCoy about Emotions in Music
The Danish duo feel that emotions are in the music and their role as performers is merely to play it to their best of their abilities. That may seem like a rather cool perspective. So how come their jazzy blend of warm synths and pastoral acoustic resonances feels so damn romantic?
Long Island Sound about the Magic of Sound
The Dublin duo don't need words to get their feelings across. Their enigmatic, enveloping take on techno embraces a free drum grid and is driven entirely by emotion - tempetuous basses pushing melancholic clouds of melody across a horizon in a state of eternal sunset.
TREEN about Improvisation
This trio's a hungry beast. Hungry for connection, hungry for a release that only this constellation can provide. It is a sound of plucks, patterns and pulses, a sound of trust growing through absence, nourished by the energy built when individual voices meet again after time spent apart.
Ex Colorado about Kraut & Krautrock
Krautrock fans like to dream about the golden years. José D’Agostino is actually living them. His former band Go-Neko! was built on a 70s-like communal spirit and his solo work, which he labels “dreamykraut,” relies on constant creation – pushing the motorik into your feet and utopia into your mind.
Rachel Eckroth about Directions in Jazz
Rachel Eckroth is taking jazz out of the box again. You can feel the physicality of the players, their breath, the suspense in the space. Despite her love for electronic world building, this is what it's all about: “I can’t imagine making music and never performing it in some way."
The Dwarfs of East Agouza about Energy in Music
“Trying to be in control in an improvised context doesn't make sense.”
Zack Lober about Emotions in Music
Lober's new album reveals itself gradually, shedding its layers with extreme care and consideration. Recorded during a time of personal loss, the music has the soft tonalities of a green tea without losing its impact: In a world of delicate gradations, it's the subtle movements that hit you hardest.
Sergio Merce about Alternative Tuning Systems
A cover reproduction of Miles Davis's On the Corner hangs on Sergio Merce's studio wall. His music, however, is already round the bend. There is melody in these monumental, slow-breathing soundscapes – but their contours are opaque, shifting at the speed of tectonic plates.
Siselabonga about Drums and Percussion
Amalgamating global influences into a personal background shaped by the supernaturally tight machine grooves of the MPC, Siselabonga drummer Fabio Meier's virtuosity manifests itself in its servitude to the song: First, you embody the world, then you strip it down to the core.
Cheryl E. Leonard about the Magic of Sound
For ten years, Cheryl E. Leonard interacted with glaciers, listening to- and recording them, playing near- and entering into collaboration with them. Compositions or documents? Sounds of the earth or human creativity? Here, you don't have to decide.
John Shannon about Emotions in Music
Many listeners will be deeply moved by the soft flow and tender touch of the Pittsburgh musician and jazz-club-owner's music. For Shannon himself, however, emotions aren't his first priority – they're a tool on the road to self-awareness, release, and peace.
Fabrizio Cammarata about Lyrics
The Sicilian songwriter's new work is a concept album which started with a question: “What does it mean to be an island?” Blending different languages, fragile folk and swelling sci-fi synths, the album's borderlessness instils a sense of hope: This is what it feels like not to be an island.
Mother Tongue about Improvisation
On their debut-abum, tri-continental trio Mother Tongue are exploring the unexpected. Sometimes, the spirit leads them to trance-inducing dervish grooves, at other times to straightforward song. It's a sound without borders, it's a music of infinite possibilities.
Invexis about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Some producers struggle with over-seriousness. Not Invexis. His hard-hitting, high-octane techno sound is the result of a playfully open-ended process. One of his new tracks kept joyfully shapeshifting for an entire year – clearly, the journey is the reward here.
Blue Lake: The Band Interview
One reason for Jason Dungan to assemble a band was the blissful feeling of hearing his music performed in a vivid, dynamic group constellation. And yet, the all-acoustic material with the ensemble – subtle, delicate, bitter sweet – has the same time-arresting intimacy of his solo recordings.
Kai Craig about Directions in Jazz
The artwork of Kai Craig's new LP has an anachronistic beauty to it, the sound is warm and rich. Clearly, the drummer feels a love for the jazz tradition. Still, when it's time to play, all of this is forgotten, giving way to a vital realisation: This moment, once passed, will never return again.
Donny McCaslin about Energy & Music
Some of the intense, frenetic energy that he contributed to David Bowie's "Darkstar" is also present on Donny McCaslin's “Lullaby for the Lost.” But the album also hits plenty of the tones and timbres in between, creating a fulminant and deeply fulfilling fanfare for the found.
Crow Baby about Emotions in Music
Spontaneity is their approach, surprise a goal, radical contrast a technique: The Berlin-via-Johannesburg duo write songs that use sweet melodies and vocal camaraderie to descend into noise, chaos and hysteria.
Mohajer about DJing
Dub is the thread weaving Mohajer's activities together – creating dynamic spaces extended into tidal infinity. In this interview, she reveals her background in a punk rock girl band, her experience with a moved eardrum and her worst nightmare as a DJ.
Tokio Ono about the Magic of Sound(s)
At face value, Tokio Ono's new pieces are like water colored dubs. On a deeper level, they open up doorways into the spiritual world and sonic mysticism: “In Japan, it’s long been said that tinnitus is a sign of a ghost drawing near.”
TV CULT about Dark Places in Music
Revolving an unlikely set of influences like Sisters of Mercy, “Cold Oi” and Chappel Roan, the Cologne-based band consider themselves one of the least fashionable formation imaginable – but was there ever a better time for raw, bloodletting songs about death, and the end of everything?
Billianne about her Voice and Singing
You don't have to read this interview about Billianne to get to know her – just listen to her sing. Moving from pure folk to a more multifacetted approach, her debut record began with the challenge of writing catchy melodies for her lower register – and ended with the triumph of a personal sound.
Svetlana Marinchenko about Directions in Jazz
After an album dealing almost entirely with military aggression, pianist-composer Svetlana Marinchenko has shifted her focus towards polyrhythmic structures and working with electronics. The band is her laboratory - and the music an experiment constantly at the cusp of combustion.
Guedra Guedra about the Magic of Sound(s)
The Moroccan producer builds sonic utopias from field recordings, found sounds and ferocious groove patterns. Listening is never passive, it's never just one thing – it's healing and transformative, questioning and consoling. As he puts it, it's “a way to read and understand the world around us.“
Alex Remzi about the 8mm Festival and why Physical Performance Spaces are “goddamn important.”
Continuing the spirit of its quasi-legendary predecessor Synästhesie, the 8mm Festival is committed to remaining an island of underground culture amidst Berlin's rapidly arts-unfriendly conditions.
Lina Langendorf about Directions in Jazz
In Stockholm, Lina Langendorf's uncompromising presence has become the stuff of local legend, her axis with African jazz a global force. A song, a gig, an album, a solo – they all have a beginning. But if it were up to the saxophonist, they would never come to an end.
Marquis Fair about his Voice and Singing
If you never stop singing, then life turns into a song and every note has meaning: Singing soul, rnb and jazz for tips for hours each day, Marquis Fair secured a recording deal and found a second home in Switzerland. His voice, however, has never lost touch with the street.
Cerys Hafana Shares her Creative Process
Hafana's new album is called “Angel,” a typical title for a harp-led work. For the artist, however, the pieces, which grew from a single inspirational seed, are an ironic take on the cliches associated with the instrument: When it's dark, it's dangerously easy to confuse a demon for a sprite.
Rosa Anschütz about Lyrics
Sometimes the only way to the future is through the past: Rosa Anschütz spent a decade writing, living, and envisioning this album. Now it's there, its songs deliriously arrest time in a state of excited tension, relived trauma and suspended expectations.
Björn Yttling (Peter Bjorn And John, Yttling Jazz) about Directions in Jazz
As a teen, Yttling slipped into the local jazz club. Later, he studied with the legendary Esbjörn Svensson. Still, as he stresses in this interview on his new album – an electrically charged oscillation between euphoria and melancholia – all that matters is for things to sound “free and cool.”
The Brothers Nylon Share their Creative Process
One of the latest Brothers Nylon tracks was named after a stimulating substance. Which seems apt: Even at its most chilled and dreamy, the duo's instrumental 70s-soul-funk comes with a dab of chilli, cinematic vibes and the thrill of a deeply resonating espresso high.
ELECTRIO about Interpretation
No interpretation is ever definitive for ELECTRIO. And so, they re-imagined pieces by Dowland and Monteverdi, bridging centuries and crossing the divide between the electronic and the acoustic. The result is a transfixing triumph of the imagination, washing over you like a timeless tidal wave.
David Mayer about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“Maybe AI can be a coach, a guide, a plugin. But it would never invite me over for fennel tea.”
Babon about Directions in Jazz
The Indonesiam trio play deliciously spacey, drifting, downbeat synth-fusion. But their debut album is a warning about the desertification of tropical forests. It is a subversive form of activism – opening the mind up with kindness but never letting go of the message.
Closet Yi about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Many listeners experience mental images. But can the feet of dancers, too, sense the impulse behind a beat? In the music of Closet Yi, scenes, sounds, and sentiments collected while traveling translate into a architectural web of urban patterns – percussive, visionary, and beguiling at once.
Lady Wray about her Voice and Singing
Lady Wray started singing in church as a girl. Still to this day, she considers her voice a blessing and part of a ritual the world needs to keep from turning into a dark and barbaric place. It's all about sharing – you can't listen to her perform and leave without taking a piece of her with you.
Tim Carr Shares his Creative Process
Who's the person on the cover of Carr's new album? It's the artist, his face lit up by two neon beams. But it's also the departure point for the music which grew as a score around the image. And once it was done, the man on the photo had become someone else, a listener lost in the songs.
I Hold the Lion's Paw about Directions in Jazz
“I’m not sure we’re the right people to be asking what jazz means today,” the Australian quartet feel. Or maybe it's the other way around. Their new release is a post-production tour de force involving improv, electronic tools and constant transformation – where else would jazz happen, if not here?
Binary Algorithms about Directions in Electronic Music
In the club, dancers have been seen struggling to find the movements to match the Colombian producer's beats. At home, however, and ideally under a pair of immersive headphones, his music takes on the kind of soothing quality that some dystopian sci fi flicks convey.
Emma Rawicz Shares her Creative Process
Many artists have described the creative spark as receiving a “transmission.” Emma Rawicz is one of the few where you can still sense this spark of the “beyond” in the finished work. Her music lives in a Murakami'ean dream state where jazz and magical realism blend into something uniquely her own.
Sugar Bomb about Directions in Jazz
When the backing band to some of Asheville's most charismatic vocalists goes instrumental, the music takes flight. Focusing on a cool kind of passion and a laid-back hip-hop-vibe, Sugar Bomb are errupting into a danceable and slow-simmering, red-hot lava stream of infectious grooves and organ solos.
Anthony Laguerre of IKI about Drums and Percussion
There's an easy way of playing the drums. And then there's the way Anthony Laguerre prefers to do it: Inseperably interlocked with the other instruments, tapping into the infinite palette of percussion to transform and resonate “timbre, dynamics, spectrum and the space in which it all happens.”
Infinite Coles about Lyrics
Once the NYC vocalist removed all lyrical filters, the songs for his new EP started pouring out. Some of the underlying themes were deeply private, introspective and reflective – which didn't keep the sessions from yielding joyous, life-affirming, 90s-tinged hip-hop, rnb and house.
Anthony Wilson about Directions in Jazz
The guitarist is neither afraid of tapping into the past, nor is he nostalgic about it. On a live album of standards, originals and unexpected covers, the swing always comes first, but nothing hits you like his nonet's cover of “In a Silent Way” - it ain't worth a try if it can't make you cry.
Charmaine Lee about the Magic of Sound(s)
Charmaine Lee thinks of sound as “something that can be shaped, pressed, and stretched, but never held still.” Her voice binds all the aspects of this unique material together: It is its source, a resonator, transformer and a magnifier – searching for patterns in a state of constant surprise.
torpedo Recommend Crazy Beautiful Albums to Blast your Ears with Perfect Balance
Includes physical sound experiences by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Nirvana, Amenra, Hania Rani, and Lori Goldston.
Julie Pavon about Energy & Music
Listening to Pavon's studio album “Born With Heartbreak” delivers an equally beautiful and brutal blow of energy. And yet, it's only a backwards translation of the emotional storm unfolding when she performs live. There's no wrong or right here, as long as it moves you.
daoud about Directions in Jazz
On “ok”, the trumpet-poet dives deep into analog synths and global collaboration, shaping a collection of centrifugally spiraling pieces held together by the gravitational force of his personality. daoud has been called “the problem child of jazz” - this album rather sounds like the solution.
Benny Sings about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Instrumental hip-hop was supposedly the first genre to fall prey to AI. In the hands of Benny Sings, it may turn out to be a stronghold. The Dutch producer approaches samples and beats like a songwriter would his guitar, capturing moments of blissful simplicity with a high degree of spontaneity.
Carmen Electro about Energy & Music
Carmen Electro is bringing house back to its beginnings: A producer in the intimacy of her studio, with nothing but an idea and the urge to create. There's something political about her soft anthems about friendship and private passions: “Don’t let the tech giants choose your sound for you.”
Speranza Galez about her Voice and Singing
"Every stage of my life has been a kind of unlocking," the Venezuelan singer says, "moving me closer to where I truly want to go." On her solo debut, that goal is now right in front of her: Jazz and South American folk, African rhythms and rock riffs, humour and tears all have their place here.
Björn Lücker about Drums and Percussion
Björn Lücker felt as though he had no gift for the drums. His creative battle with obstacles attuned him to the intricate details of his instrument and the ability to consider himself not just a rhythm machine, but part of an ensemble – creating a feeling he likes to call “panoramic.”
Yumi Ito about her Voice and Singing
Think of an incredible jazz singer. Then, imagine what they would sound like with all of the cliches removed. On her new album, Yumi Ito's voice, captured with vintage microphones and embedded into a space of warm resonance and reverb, is right in front of your ear, every emotion magnified.
Scuba about Directions in Electronic Music and Live Performance
“Tech has been very bad for music. There is great music still being made and released in isolation - but the ratio of good to bad has declined precipitously.”
Christopher Stark about Directions in Contemporary Composition
On composer Christopher Stark's latest long-form work, he confronts an acoustic ensemble with piercing white noise and luminescent electronic sequences. It's not a denial of the confusion and chaos our data-driven world has created – but it does make it feel a lot more beautiful.
Alan Niblock about Improvisation
Double bassist Alan Niblock's approach to performing in the moment is all about movements – observing them, stirring them, following them. Sometimes, this leads to fast-paced energetic discharges. Sometimes, to shifts at the majestic speed of tectonic plates.
Isabelle Duthoit of IKI (FR) about her Voice and Singing
Isabelle Duthoit finds a lot of inspiration in Japanese theatrical traditions. But her performance, as dramatic as it may be, is neither acting nor storytelling. Bypassing language and returning to the archaic voice of visceral emotion, her vocals take the listener back in time and deeper inside.
SHARE about DJing
The sets of the Dutch DJ are journeys built on patience and tension, on the constant subtle fluctuation between a sweet, ethereal flow and the grounding gravitational pull of powerful pulses. This is not escapism – it's reality as a dream of a better world.
Greg Jamie about Emotions in Music
With nothing but a guitar, the occasional drum machine and sustained harmonics, Jamie's “Across a Violet Pasture” is painting worlds at the border between waking and sleeping, life and death. You can check in anytime, but these are not places you'll ever arrive at – you can only leave.
Glass Museum about Directions in Jazz
The Brussels trio delivers the true Late-Night-Jazz. Based on dreamy piano licks, trance-inducing drumming, spiritual basslines and phantasmagoric synths, this is the soundtrack to a night filled with promises, headed for a morning that will never come.
Dina Summer about Lyrics
“Tears in stardust, falling from my eyes // Your absence - a void in starlit skies.”
Ida Nielsen about Energy & Music
Music is vibration transmitted through the air, it is emotion made physical. That's why Danish bassist Ida Nielsen will always prefer the stage over the couch and performance over production – when the connection with listeners is most direct, the rawness of her funk just hits you harder.
Jasper Hoiby about Directions in Jazz
The Danish bassist's output seems to progress in numbers: His ensemble is called “3 Elements,” his electro-acoustic trio Planet B's new work will be released on 4 records over 4 years. His music, however, is an attempt not to be overly conceptual – and to return to the timeless mystery of art.
Camilla Sparksss about Energy & Music
Written during the most challenging period of her life, Camilla's new album deals with pain and the finiteness of human existence in an equally extreme and relatable way. There are no certainties in these razorsharp, and brutally fragile songs except one: Right now, in this moment, we are alive.
Karen Ng Shares her Creative Process
“The notion of control has come up several times during the making of this album. It’s a very curious aspect that I think generally doesn’t sit well with me in creation and collaboration.”
Mathias Modica aka KAPOTE about Production, Technology and his new album Para Mytho Disco
The third instalment of the German producer's Italomania series once again manages to marry red-hot passion with the tongue-feeling of a cool rosé. What sets great Italodisco apart from mediocre one? For Modica, it's all about the difference between “the vertical and the horizontal.”
Kush Arora aka Only Now about Energy & Music
Making music, to Indian-American producer Kush Arora, means placing energy at the right spot – or creating new ones for it to inhabit. Born in live situations and hyper-saturated with noise, the results have a meditative, hypnotic quality about them – although they have got him threatened as well.
FRQNCY LDN about their Collaboration
“It’s all about gongs,” Alex Lavery says about his project with James Ford. And yet, with a small ensemble ornamenting the powerfully sustained drones, it is about a lot more and something deeper as well: Creating “epiphanies, creative solutions or a reset, all from the power of sound.”
Sébastien Forrester Shares his Creative Process
“Art is similar to archeology,” percussionist and composer Sébastien Forrester reflects. On his new album, you can hear him digging, scraping off the dust, revealing hidden layers. Only, these aren't fossils: Nervously twitching, they are brimming with barely contained, primal kinetic energy.
Asaf Avidan about his Voice and Singing
Avidan has a voice like no other. But he takes it through hell, straining and crooning, purring and seducing. Sometimes, the need to sing extends beyond his vocal limits, yet there is no alternative: Singing means expressing himself to himself and to the world in a bid of making it more bearable.
Blue Earth Sound Shares his Creative Process
Spiritual jazz can get nigh-symphonic. For Blue Earth Sound, James Weir was looking for something more intimate. Mostly built around sweet piano riffs, soulful drums, and blissful flute and brass, the music takes you to safe places of healing and comfort.
Fenge about the Magic of Sound(s)
What's in an image? For Fenge's new EP, the cover was there first to which the Leipzig producer composed the music. Performed on acoustic instruments and vintage synths and recorded with a small portable recorder, it is lovely and mysterious – and conjures up new mental images inside the listener.
Gisela Horat about Improvisation
The titles of her pieces are a source of inspiration for Gisela Horat's explorations. The name of her new trio album – Live in Leipzig – is a carte blanche for her imagination, a screen onto which the pianist projects hallucinatory patterns of melodies, moods, and subcutaneous pulses.
Kula Shaker Share their Creative Process
“K” was their burst into stardom, ”Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts” an underrated masterpiece. But as Kula Shaker's new single proves, Crispian Mills's gift for gorgeous melodies and the band's unique sound between heat and haze are here to stay.
Black Polish about Dark Places
Black Polish freely admits that hate comments spurn her on. But she's not out to get anyone down. To the contrary, songs like her anthemic, slow-simmering single “Bondage” create communities for coping: When the lights are out, the darkness draws us closer together.
Sijya about Lyrics
Contradictions are not just a spice for Sijya's ambient trip hop songs. They're the meat and bones. Blissed-out bass drums and far-away percussion beat out slow rhythms, faintly glistening synths suggest film-noir-moods - while the words revolve around the "hellishness and wonders of the mundane."
Anika Nilles about Drums and Percussion
“No matter how great the gear is, it doesn’t necessarily make you a better musician.”
múm about the Magic of Sound(s)
Great albums can seem to live in unique acoustic worlds or dimensions of their own. The new múm certainly does. Recorded in an Italian vineyard, it took the band away from Iceland's wind and water and towards an oasis of peaceful distortion, babbling modulars and sympathetically overlapping voices.
Lanz Pierce about the Intersections between Music, Tech, and Entrepreneurship
“When you don’t have a machine behind you with capital and influence, there are only two choices—remain idle and do nothing, or stop at nothing until you win.”
Gab Ferreira about Emotions in Music
For São Paulo songwriter Gab Ferreira, the stage is not the place to hold back and songs aren't vessels for coded messages. Her music's intimacy is like the top of an iceberg rocked by wild undercurrents and hot, submarine volcanic activity – cool to the touch, but ready to explode at any moment.
Lucid Lucia about Directions in Jazz
The influences of the Belgian sixpiece are hyper-local and ultra-international at the same time. Rooted in the city of Antwerp, its music fuses influences across eras and beyond borders: “The wider the spectrum, the greater the possibilities.”
Guedra Guedra Recommends Albums that Show Sound “as a method for rethinking history, for building new imaginaries.”
Includes sonic archiving by Eno/Byrne, Maqam-meets-rock collisions by Secret Chiefs 3, the textural sonics of Amon Tobin and Badawi's dark Moroccan electronics.
Cecilie Strange about Directions in Jazz
You can't scream for peace. And so, Cecilie Strange is envisioning jazz as a space for serenity and beauty, where drifting sax passages and kalimba pulses are gently moved by cool piano flourishes and the sound of loving brushes caressing the cymbals. This is utopia in a cupped hand.
TaboTago about Kraut & Krautrock
The Berlin trio started as a tribute to Edgar Froese and Tangerine Dream. But they're not nostalgic. Using a combination of synths, guitar, and laptop, they're exploring how far cosmic sequencer music can go without repeating itself or loosing its original spirit.
Shad about Directions in Hip Hop
"Don't dream big 'til you can handle small things," Shad advises. His personal brand of hip hop embraces music as the soundtrack to the imagination. It zooms in on the tiniest of details – the undercurrents of fear, love, and pride that make us who we are.
John Butler about Energy & Music
Butler wants to express many different energies at the same time, even seemingly contradictory ones. The intention is always the same: To create songs that are “dense, rich, textured and expansive”, songs that you can feel in your head and your heart, that are larger than life.
Eyvind Kang about Improvisation
Kang's music transcends time, his language is as inclusive as it is impenetrably personal. On his upcoming release “Riparian,” an endless dialogue between plucked and bowed strings opens up sparse fields beyond time, reaching for the point where the parallels meet and space folds back on itself.
Shrunken Elvis Share their Creative Process
The trio started while touring abroad in a station wagon. The lack of space, the enforced gear minimalism, and the constant change of scenery resulted in a homesick album of sweet timbres and flowing rhythms, powered by a love for krautrock, prog, 90’s house, trip hop, “and all things psychedelic.”
Jonas Kocher about Improvisation
There's a 16 year gap between Kocher's last solo album and his new one. The accordionist has used the time well and charged his improvisations with playful twists and turns. There's no need for amplification or effects. Everything he needs is right here, within the sounding body of his instrument.
The Liquid Dude about Production, Technology, and Creativity
To lend that defining organic quality to his acid-splashing electronica, producer and soundtrack composer The Liquid Dude draws the conviction that “sound is as much science as it is art” - as well as intense real-life experiences: Journeys to the arctic, volcanoes erupting right in front of him.
Sean Clarke about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Even when the Ottawa composer's pieces for small ensembles take visual cues from paintings or movies, what makes them so distinct is a magical confluence of vibration, mood, and resonance, a particular folding of time that is unique to music and never fully reveals its mystery.
Boko Yout about Energy & Music
“It's a download from above. I feel like an antenna receiving information, my body as a vessel and my voice as a speaker.”
Nils Kugelmann about Improvisation
For a long time, Nils Kugelmann couldn't decide on an instrument. Maybe that's why, today, his double bass playing frequently crosses from percussive grooves via warm harmonies into melodic territory. His trio's latest album on ACT isn't just tight – instrumentally, it's hyperdimensional.
David Lee Myers about the Magic of Sound(s)
David Lee Myers is intrigued by the sounds of suspension bridges. Somehow, that shines through on Terrenus, an album which makes tones sing and frequencies dance. It may feel abstract to some, but really, it isn't – this is what the world sounds like to those willing to listen.
Jehnny Beth Shares her Creative Process
“You Heartbreaker, You” is an album to surrender to, to become obsessed with, to play so loud it's painful. Born from intense riffs and the urge to write a crushing guitar record, Beth's songs unfold like apocalyptic cleansings rituals about love, frustration and alternative sexuality.
Hilgeum Share their Creative Process
Hilgeum are performing on gayageum, geomungo, and haegeum – traditional instruments with an up to 1,000 year old history. And yet, the powerful, fantasy-like performances of the Korean threepiece can make the most advanced electronic tools feel pale and tame in comparison.
Ebi Soda about Directions in Jazz
The studio is their stage: While the Brighton based ensemble's live performances may fit most people's definition of “jazz,” their electronically supercharged recordings redefine its limits. At their heart, however, is the very essence of the genre: Improvisation in all of its variations and glory.
Kory Reeder about Directions in Contemporary Composition
“I love long pieces, I love long books, and I love to see artists really stretch their legs into a big artistic statement.”
Billy Nomates about Lyrics
For Billy Nomates, music and lyrics can enter into paradoxical relationships, combining the sad and the upbeat, offering linear and circular narratives as well as navigating between sex and death. Life is short and lyrics can help to make sense of it – what's the point in lying?
Jordfäst about Dark Places
The Swedish trio's monumental Black Metal delves into history, digging up the roots of evil and investigating societal entanglements. If that seems bleak, then that's because it has to be: Only when you turn off the lights completely, can you see the faint glimmer of hope.
Kush Arora aka Only Now recommends Recordings and Performances with a Polarising Energy
Includes glowing white noise by Merzbow, seething, sulfurous layers of metal, hypnotic Ugandan drumming and the hypnagogic field recording ASMR of KMRU.
M. Sage Shares his Creative Process
A lonely clarinet, scattered fragments of piano chords, a ghostly layer of evening ambiance – Matthew Sage's new album seems to exist in the realm of memories, myths and magic. Its chambermusical arrangements are filled with yearning – forever reaching for something that's impossible to grasp.
Anne Paceo about Drums and Percussion
Paceo's "Atlantis" takes a mythical culture as its point of departure. But the depth, intensity, and just barely contained energy of its songs point to something highly personal – to a burning passion held within that's bubbling to the surface.
Ella Ion about Lyrics
Ion is a firm believer in the art of the album. That is remarkable since her songs feel like self-contained worlds. Searching harmonies, her incomparable voice and sparse arrangements lead the listener into a magical place where words take on new meaning – as if they're born that very moment.
WON IL about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Horror film soundtracks, traditional Korean music, electronic studio production, performance and “shamanistic imagination” - the work of WON IL takes the job description of a composer to new levels of complexity. His music is of a remarkable immediacy, however.
Sven Wunder Shares his Creative Process
The Swedish jazz composer wants to give songs what they need. For his upcoming album, that mostly meant subtracting elements and focusing on warm grooves underneath Beach-Boys-like harmonies. That is, until he discovered they were asking him for a complete string orchestra.
Luca Formentini about Ghosts in Music and Connections with the Unconscious
Formentini's latest album is a takeover. During the process, the guitarist-composer allowed subconscious memories, unprocessed traumas, and inherited energies to infiltrate, invade, and influence his process – yielding an infinite field of whispers, Kirlean resonance and cloudy hauntings.
Siichaq about Lyrics
Siichaq was battling with mental health and loneliness when Nirvana and Melody's Echo Chamber came to the rescue. Songtitles like “I keep getting sicker” and “Life's a Mess” still reveal bruises and scars. The music, however, oscillating between brokenness and beauty, has the power to inspire.
Cooper Bowman about the Magic of Sound(s)
Bowman is interested in the idea of sound as democratic, species-crossing communication. Maneuvering wondrous electro-acoustic spaces through improvisation and careful placement of his materials, a music of great subtley, joy, and refinement arises – free from expectations, free from constraints.
Astral Cinema about Directions in Jazz
The range of influences for this British-Danish jazz supergroup is dizzying. But as exploratory as their creative process may be, the results have a surprisingly dreamy quality, a gently rolling sensuality and warm charm to them – think independent movie theatre rather than Hollywood blockbuster.
Alexander Flood about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“Using ONLY electronic music/sounds is limiting.”
yingtuitive about the Magic of Sound(s)
Binding field recordings to harmonies and beats and opening her intimate pieces up to psychedelic intrusion, the Singaporean pianist-producer and sound-composer is not afraid to get her ears dirty. Her work is an invitation to hear the world differently - and see life through the lense of music.
Luise Volkmann about Directions in Jazz
“Sometimes I wonder how long we’ll still have live music as a society.”
Tamar Sagiv about Emotions in Music
A deep sensation of grief was the overarching sensation for the cellist-composer's debut album. Navigating between her classical training, exploratory instrumental techniques and a profound love for contemporary music's immediacy, she moulded her own language of pain and deliverance.
Tuxis Giant about Lyrics
Tuxis Giant's Matt O’Connor is always writing: Songs about houses, songs about pets. Songs that trick you into looking inward, songs that dip into the sublime. Songs that feel raw, yet glow from the inside. Songs that are quiet, but which you'll never forget.
Kobe Dupree about Minimalism
“I am learning from the masters that everything you have is right in front of you.”
Laura-Mary Carter Shares her Creative Process
For her new album, Laura-Mary Carter wanted to return to the straight-forward storytelling of 50s love songs. That's not to say the emotions discussed here are simple. There is always a coating of noise, a halo of hurt, an itch to remove the bandages and open up the wounds.
Captain Mustache about Production, Technology, and Creativity
The “M” doesn't just stand for the Captain's finely groomed facial hair growth. It also relates to: Music, Melody, and that certain Magic that elevates his weightlessly floating future-age electro-grooves to an energetic state approved by Albert Einstein.
Yijia about Lyrics
For Chinese songwriter Yijia, music is an instrument for connecting with her ancestry and heritage. Driven by a deep spiritual longing for past and present to unite, it takes listeners to places of great beauty where the borders between languages, cultures, and times dissolve.
Steve Rothery (Marillion, Bioscope) about Kraut & Krautrock
As a boy, the albums of Tangerine Dream took the Marillion guitarist to another world. Decades later, his encounter with the keeper of the TD legacy could do the same for a new generation – long, feverdreamy instrumentals casting pulsating shadows on landscapes filled with longing and regret.
Thorsten Quaeschning (Tangerine Dream, Bioscope) about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“Everything is subordinated to music itself—production, technology, even performance decisions.“
Paul Cornish about Improvisation
Paul Cornish started composing on the piano during long breaks between lunch and evening service. Even today, his work seems to feed from that experience. His trio album on Blue Note is slow, deliberate, never-too-dreamy 5AM music with a sepia-tinged touch.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith about Lyrics
How do you describe the magic that's all around us? On GUSH, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith does it best by not describing it at all. Her songs are pure synaesthetic sense stimulations, aural caresses of hazy vocals and sultry beats which always put feeling first.
Maurice Storrer about Energy & Music
Drawing spirit from John Coltrane's great 60s recordings, the Swiss saxophonist is following in legendary footsteps. Backed by a fourmidable band and propelled forward by highly memorable material, however, he pulls it off – always landing on the right side of classic vs retro.
Lvdf about Collaboration
Lvdf are as tight as jazz units come. And yet, there is plenty of space for all of the quartet's voices to shine through. Playful bass runs, cascading synth lines, intense sax licks and grooves with a personality merge into forceful stream-of-consciousness-meditations.
Matteo Pagamici and Michael Künstle about Directions in Contemporary Composition
“Dimensions” reverses the conventional logic of electronic music, treating the orchestra like a synthesizer and an effect processing unit. The results, however, are not formal experiments, but emotionally rousing string oscillations which feel faintly familiar and fascinatingly foreign.
Ollie Mundy about DJing
Olly Mundy's journey into music is like an arrow unstoppably making its way towards the bull's eye – and DJing is like life therapy. His afro-house sets hold precious moments, building them into spaces to rejoice, rejuvenate, and re-connect with what really matters.
Penny & The Pits about Energy & Music
Could any band be cooler and more unpredictable than Canada's heroes-beyond-borders Motherhood? It can, if it's led by one of their members. Penny & The Pits' are brutal & charming, sharp & fuzzy, they're your mind on helium, they're bitter love & sweet sweat, they're rage wrapped in a pink ribbon.
Matt Bachmann about the Magic of Sound(s)
Recorded at his home, Matt Bachmann's upcoming new album conveys a rare organic intimacy. Realised as a collective dream with a cast of formidable musicians, the music unfolds slowly, and with utmost intent, through the weaving of mesmerising patterns and subtle grooves.
Newmen about Kraut & Krautrock
Some have compared Newmen to Stereolab. But the German quintet are closer to the source. Their new album blends irresistible motorics with sweet vocoder tunes and analog synths for a mirage-like, mind-frying ride on the rays of the future and everything that made the originals great.
Reset Robot about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Mallets, bells, and choirs – and yet, David Robertson is not composing for classical concert halls, but the dancefloor. His music follows a course set by intuition and fast decisions: If there are no rules, every note is an opportunity to break them.
Peter Chilvers about Minimalism
The composer and sound designer's new album starts off in a dreamy, peaceful haze, then drops into unfathomable depths in two time-arresting long-form pieces. On the outside, nothing much is happening here. On the inside, it's a tempest.
Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet: The Band Interview
Inspired by the proud Afro-Peruvian tradition and Miles Davis' legendary 60s quintet, the sextet are embracing rules and constraints as a tool for liberation. There is a constant flow of energy between members, music, and audience – not a single performance is ever quite the same.
Jonathan Moritz about Directions in Jazz
The unconventional is a natural part of the Brooklyn-based saxophonist's vocabulary. Inspired by tradition, surfing, and the joy of surprise, there is a sense of true joy to these immersive explorations.
Juri Seo about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Juri Seo's work explores “the continuum between timbre, harmony, and noise.” Yet its main goal is not experimentation, but exhilaration. Making consistently surprising use of just intonation, electronics, and traditional instruments, this music makes you forget the past and remember the future.
Madeleine Cocolas about the Magic of Sound(s)
Sometimes, just a single piano note can prove cathartic for the Australian sound artist and composer. But so can the noises of big cities and urban environments. On “Syndesis,” she translates her emotional response to a thrillingly diverse collection of sounds into a mesmerising aural tapestry.
Maya Beiser about Emotions in Music
Conceptually, the cellist's new album builds a bridge across 300 years of music, upholding a hypnotically serene, ritualistic tone. This is an intense-to-the-point-of-burning experience that provides a space to say: “Feel this. Remember this. Don’t look away.”
Noiseshaper about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“Is it Love?” the chorus to the Berlin-based dub-reggae duo asks expectingly. But what else could it be? Two decades into their creative career, Noiseshaper keep plumbing the depths of echo, delay and feedback. It's about sharing, it's about the unknown – but most of all, it's about the love of it.
Juli Lee about Energy & Music
The precise pulse of Juli Lee's percussion patterns pave a path for pure, otherworldly pads, and whispered poetry to softly unlock the brain's emotional hemispheres. It is a space where all anger has gone and left room for the more subtle energies remaining in its wake to unfold.
Steve Lawler about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Steve Lawler has gone through a “god awful” first record and overcome gear addiction to end up in a place where music is a pure expression of emotion. His new single is a relentless burst of energy – describing a place where euphoria and unfulfilled desire merge.
Wojtek Mazolewski about Energy and Music
Talking about energy means talking about live performances to the Polish bassist. In concert, “incredible things happen.” Especially so on his latest live album with his quintet, on which 4-minute pieces get expanded to 22-minute explorations as part of the “art of joy.”
Coast2c about Directions in Electronic Music
The modular synth compositions of the Mexico-City based producer have one foot on the dancefloor and the other on a bed of moss. Inspired both by personal experiences as well as the machine-logic of her systems, her latest EP is an act of conscious self-hypnotisation.
Alec Goldfarb about Alternative Tuning Systems
Goldfarb's new album takes listeners to places where everything sounds not-quite-right in exactly-the-right-kind of way – and vice versa. New intervallic spaces lead to new forms which, in turn, lead to new experiences. That's because they “ultimately expand our sense of what music can be.”
Kaj Duncan David Shares his Creative Process
David wanted his new album to be “strange, trippy and beautiful.” It turned into more than that: A fantasy for vocals, wind controller, MIDI guitar, and drum-synthesizer that goes from poetic babblings and insular sounds to mysterious structures. It's like witnessing the birth of a new music.
Miist about Emotions in Music
Whatever the Chinese singer-songwriter had to endure, music was always there for her. Now, she is using the power of her tender, diaristic songs to help and heal others. What is needed right now, Miist feels, aren't innovations or extravagant presentation, but art as an act of humanity.
Chihiro Yamanaka about Directions in Jazz
“I don't set out to be political. But the world inevitably seeps into the music.”
PARIS about Production, Technology, and Creativity
The Australian producer is wrapping huge emotions in a soft fabric, aiming for euphoria with small gestures. Her debut full-length encompasses and congenially blends dreamy house, sequencer electronica, and dancefloor anthems – this is what it feels like to truly be taken on a journey.
Will Liverman about his Voice and Singing
His career as a baritone has already led Liverman to a Grammy win, performances at the Met and collaborations with many of the leading orchestras. On his expansive new album, he is now stepping into the limelight as a composer – with songs at the cusp of the fragile and triumphant.
D:Ream Share their Creative Process
The band's second coming has already been more prolific than their first run in the 1990s. Their new release was even, at one point, set to turn into a double album of gorgeous house songs. That's because they can't conveniently switch the creative muscle off – it's always twitching.
Deepak Sharma about DJing
Patience is key for Deepak Sharma, both as a DJ and a producer. Patience to keep a groove going until it fully reveals itself. Patience to reach beyond taste, beyond expectations, beyond ego. His aim is to tap into something hidden – and use it to transform his audience.
tedzi تدزي about Dark Places
For the Lebanese sound artist, music is an extension of politics. His pieces of bonecrushing electronica make for a dark, angelic message: Beats never settle, compositions oscillate between chaos and control, timbres fluctuate and flicker.
Charlie Sparks about Music & Energy
For Charlie Sparks, energy is not something to selfishly hoard. It is there to be shared, it expands and grows by passing it on. His new EP is like a distillation of the energy created by his live sets into recordings – and then injected straight into the listener.
747 about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“There is a deep reservoir of creativity often found within self-imposed constraints.”
Łukasz Polowczyk aka Aint About Me about the Pink Warm Belly Of A Dying Sun
A collaborative, immersive installation is a hard-hitting reflection on - and a ghostly meditation about – technological mediation, beauty in the face of destruction as well as Polowczyk's evolving relationship with his own art. It is also an invitation to walk through the content – literally.
The New Eves Share their Creative Process
The quartet slap, strum, and blow their instruments like a Hildegard von Bingen on Acid. But beside the mediaeval-folk-like trance rituals, there are plenty moments of tender introspection and catchy songwriting. The New Eves are Rising – and they won't relent until you join them.
Yoshika Colwell about her Voice and Singing
"Last night, you were in my dream," Yoshika Colwell wispers on her mesmerising debut album. But we're in there, too. Using the language of folk, her songs capture the in-between with grainy, black-and-white-photography serenity - and brutally honest poetic brilliance.
Babon about Indonesia's legendary Lokananta Studio and the Indonesian Digital Archive
Now a museum, Lokananta used to be the beating heart of Indonesia's creative scene. For modern jazz trio Babon, its blending of Indonesian traditions with global sounds triggered a wave of inspiration that ultimately led them to their personal sound.
Joane Hétu Shares her Creative Process
Joane Hétu's path as a composer wasn't easy. But she didn't question her calling. You can hear this sense of necessity in her music which speaks to the mind and the body alike – creating a sense of wonder from elements and instruments you thought you knew inside-out.
Lorena Hollander aka USHAN about Energy & Music
“Some of the most powerful experiences I’ve had with music felt like energetic imprints—moments that marked me deeply, almost etched into my heart.”
Estella Boersma about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Filled to the brim with surprisinlyg psychedelic twist and turns, Boersma takes techno far beyond its traditional templates. Her tracks are like threedimensional sculptures of the club experience – even at home, you can literally see the crowd go wild to them.
Furtherset Shares his Creative Process
Furtherset's work is brimming with a potential for synaesthetic confusion: Intuitions get “tuned,” images explained, visuals and sounds collide. It is music that has to bridge the divide: Richly resonant, menacing yet balletic, these orchestral ambient works are still-lifes at the cusp of eruption.
M-High about DJing
“There is no version of DJing without an audience. The audience is the point.”
Thomas Julienne about Directions in Jazz
Thomas Julienne's band Theorem of Joy are expanding the traditional jazz palette – with subtly embedded virtual instruments, Indian chants, hypnotically drawn-out groove sections and socio-psychological reflection. It is a meditation on fire driven by an insatiably curious mind.
Joss Turnbull about Energy & Music
Uncertainty, pressure, and tension are the triggers for the rattling and rolling, fidgeting and flowing, hickupping and hollering percussion fantasies of Joss Turnbull. It is a music that paradoxically facilitates and requires release: The more vulnerable you get, the more you're free to let go.
Ahikaa Arora Shares her Creative Process
Ahikaa Arora's discography is just two singles deep, but the spiritual dimensions they plumb infinitely expand their emotional impact. This is music that envelopes its audience completely, these are songs that don't come from her but to her.
Ria Moran about her Voice and Singing
For years, Ria Moran thought her voice was too quiet. Now, it's what pulls listeners into her world of intimate thoughts and confessions. Her debut album confronts and caresses her vocals with lush sub-basses, time-arresting grooves and neonlit synths – fall in love to it, fall in love with it.
Ginton (Drake, Salif Keita) about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Ginton's guitar tone is as light as a cloud, his melodic hooks sweet and captivating. Marrying Afrobeat influences with house and drawing a lot of energy from his DJ/Live-performance-fusion sets, his haiku-like compositions invite the mind to travel.
Håvard Volden about Improvisation
“Improvisation is not a show-off thing. For me it’s about trying to create something beautiful together with other people.”
garbagebarbie about Energy & Music
garbagebarbie's vision of pop isn't complicated – their new single is about the pleasures of kissing. But taking in elements from glam, jangle, and disco, it is as colourful as it is cinematic and ambitious in scope: “Music changes the world because it is what the universe is made of.”
Urbs & Cutex about Directions in Hip Hop
Emerging from a 20-year long hibernation, the Austrian duo's beats are still chilled, but the vibes feel as warm as ever. Almost entirely instrumental, the music creates a dream-like haze extending blissfully into infinity across an endless horizon of gentle grooves, piano licks and echoes.
Gumby’s Junk about Emotions in Music
This music is about pain. And pleasure. It is means business. It is fun. It is indie. It is experimental. It is none of those. It is wild. It is beautiful. It is chaotic. It is disciplined. It confuses audiences. It makes them fall in love with the band. It is not possible. It is waiting for you.
Shakti Soundsystem about Kraut & Krautrock
The sixpiece were part of the same scene for years before locking themselves in the studio and improvising for 48 hours straight. The resulting journey through relentless dub grooves, epic hypnotica, and shoegazy rock channels the spirit of Can and Neu! so perfectly that it feels almost paranormal.
Anna Sophia Defant about Directions in Jazz
Albums like Anna Sophia Defant's “s:e” make you believe that anything really is possible. Not because it's “free,” not because it explodes stylistic borders and replaces them with unified sonic fields. But because it does all of these things with a pure, passionate, punk-like lack of restraint.
Dan Rosenboom Shares his Creative Process
Growing from mysterious number patterns, Dan Rosenboom's Coordinates evolved into a progressive-jazz-rock-adjacent meditation on the infinite-worlds-theory. Despite its conceptual depth, the grooves reign supreme here: This is a philosophy of the mind that gets the body moving.
Enrico Sangiuliano about the Beauty of Endings, Creating with Meaning, and the Sound of Silence
"Without silence, everything would become noise. Silence is where ideas are born and emotions settle."
Tom Did It about Directions in Hip Hop
These are all the things Tom didn't do: Go to London, get a job, choose safety in numbers. What he did do: All his engineering, his own vocal presets, create a fresh approach between hip hop's US roots and local UK styles. No new ideas? That's a “user error.”
Daniel Brandl about Improvisation
His classical education and the accompanying mindset almost ended cellist Daniel Brandl's creative ambitions. Now, his music exists in a fascinating “inbetween-ness” - a driftstate which allows for a force beyond the players and their influences to emerge.
Scree Share their Creative Process
Ryan El-Solh of post-rock trio Scree sometimes imagines his life being happier without the creative impulse. The world, however, would be poorer without it. The band's instrumentals – ornamented with loops, effects and a full brass section – may grow from despair but yield the fruit of consolation.
Marissa Burwell about Lyrics
The first two singles off Marissa Burwell's upcoming sophomore album are so subtle they almost fade into the background. But then they draw you in – through her mesmerising voice, poetic arrangements and words that sound dreamy but go straight for the juggular.
Owen Underhill about Directions in Contemporary Composition
As a conductor, Owen Underhill has dedicated his life to putting great contemporary composers on a well-deserved pedestal. Now, a new album of small-ensemble pieces is doing the same for his own work: Yearning and of a quicksilvery elegance, these songs are of an otherworldly beauty.
festiVAL's event producers and lineup artists about Twitch DJing
Twitch may have carried dance music through the pandemic. But it is much more than a temporary life vest. A big new festival explores the intersection between physical club culture and online DJing – and how Twitch may lead the way into a stimulating future.
Joanna Duda about Directions in Jazz
“What makes me respond as an artist is not really connected with the material world.”
Patricia Wolf about Scoring for Film
The sonic scenes of the sensitive sound sculptor's soundtrack to a surreal Icelandic documentary never surrender to the striking images. The rhythm of the movie and the floating ghostliness of the synthesizers interlock, creating a dialogue across different layers of perception and consciousness.
Looms Share their Creative Process
Often written in the early morning and in the small window between pain and emotional processing, the stream-of-consciousness songs of the New York fivepiece are instantly relatable and magical at the same time. You don't wake up from this dream, you keep falling deeper into it.
Nicolas Bonard about the Montreux Jazz Festival's Quest for Authenticity and Innovation
The success of arguably the world's most famous festival remains equally remarkable and fragile. And so, the organisers took a far-reaching strategic decision: Futureproofing the festival by exploding its location in time and space.
Julia Basso about Dancing, Neuroplasticity, and Collective Consciousness
“Dance helps to expand our conscious awareness.”
Haggai Cohen-Milo about Interpretation and his Creative Process
Masterpieces by Verdi, Debussy and Mahler were the point of departure for double-bassist-composer Haggai Cohen-Milo's “Gravitations” project. Flavoured with jazz and hip-hop, these pieces not only hold and stand on their own – they'll make you listen to the classics with fresh ears.
Benoît Pioulard about the Magic of Sound(s)
“I think a lot of my demeanor and my efforts toward a philosophy of radical acceptance are supported by listening to so much calm music.”
Nicolas Bougaïeff about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Known for his sonic-laboratory-approach, the Canadian producer is also known as the “Techno Doctor.” On his latest EP, however, he is slipping into the role of a director, scoring scenes from a Jodie Foster movie or Berlin nightlife.
Franz Von about Directions in Hip Hop
Technically, the TC & the Groove Family frontman's latest release is his solo debut. In reality, it is as collaborative as ever. Incorporating soul and jungle, jazz improvisations and a live band, this is the spirit of a community - and a way of life - set to music.
7XINS about Energy & Music
7XIN's take on techno is raw, dense, and expansive. It is also highly emotional and political. Responses vary wildly: Most dance, some turn inwards, others cry. No one remains unaffected.
747 about the Beauty of Randomness and the Communal Aspects of Generative Art
Each cover for the Canadian producer's mesmerising new drum'n'bass LP is different, each one is part of a larger work. Some might be confused. But to 747, the concept of code as a paintbrush remains infinitely fascinating.
Robinson’s Village Shares his Creative Process
Sometimes barely a minute short, James Burns' ambient work hovers weightlessly at the cusp between clip and composition. Every piece briefly opens a portal into a world of blurry outlines, unresolved grief and softly lingering tones – one step further, and you'd loose yourself.
Bailey Tomkinson & The Locals about Lyrics
Tomkinson's bittersweet songs are inspired by the big screen, the big songwriters and the big feelings. As the “language of pure emotion,” music can connect us on the deepest level – why settle for anything less?
Lingyuan Yang about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Maybe our narratives of the new are broken: Lingyuan Yang's latest album has the shape and the line-up of a jazz trio. Underneath, however, microtonal melodies, hyperreal virtuosity and constantly shifting constellations create a seductive sensation of inspiring disorientation.
Sloe Noon about Emotions in Music
"Now I barely feel anything // Don’t know if I’ll feel anything at all ever again," Sloe Noon sings. But only someone with a dizzying surplus of emotions could deliver these lines with such conviction. Her songs are sexy and fragile, like whispers sent through clouds of noise and fuzz.
Javier Rojo: The Band Interview
“This band shares many aspects that make working together very rewarding. That doesn’t mean it’s easy.“
Superspace about Directions in Electronic Music
Using ChatGpt, sampling, and supposedly outdated technology, Superspace create hypnotic simulations of alternate utopian realities. Their 90s-inspired debut album sits snugly between chicago house, early Aphex Twin and meditative italo house. It's so nostalgic it sounds like nothing else.
Session Victim about Production, Technology, and Creativity
The German duo are playing trippy house with a jazz mentality, treating the studio like the stage, blurring the lines between downbeat and dancefloor. Their latest jams were only supposed to yield one EP's worth of material – then they couldn't stop themselves.
Marc Elsner & Kimi Recor Share their Creative Process
The duo was inspired by a simple thought: As sound passes through us, it moves the liquid part of our bodies. There are moments in these first-take-improvisations which are held still far beyond any compositional logic – within the listener, however, the music is twitching with surreal delight.
Merpire about Lyrics
Scents and desires, fears and “fucking around” - in the songs of Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt, the words become tantalising and terrifying, tangible and tastable. Making music is a ritual, its source a mystery.
Peter Manheim about Drums and Percussion
After finally becoming pain-free after years of chronic issues, the New York drummer and percussionist is ready for his debut as a leader: Balancing precise motorics with mantric swing and oscillating between cool composure and naïve pleasures, this is spiritual jazz for the young at heart.
David Bixler about Directions in Jazz
David Bixler's music is unmistakably jazz – inspired by it, taught by it, shaped by a deep and profound love for it. And yet, underneath it all, there is a constant process of questioning what seems unquestionable: How far can you go - the answer is negotiated anew each session.
Mary Yuzovskaya about Minimalism
Mary Yuzovskaya's vision of minimalism is one of the most consistent in techno. Intriguingly, her creative process is the exact opposite: it knows no limitations, rules, or extraneously imposed boundaries.
Jeremy Delvila about Minimalism
Jeremy Delvila has always had a knack for minimalism. Born and raised near Paris, he also has the legendary “French Touch.” His new EP is based on the simple premise of making every single element sound as soulful as it possibly can.
Nicolás Melmann about Emotions in Music
After a traumatic encounter with personal loss, Nicolás Melmann has made it his mission create art as an instrument of transformation. His long, drifting drone pieces are open-ended: You spend as much time inside them as you need to heal.
Ben Bertrand about the Magic of Sound(s)
Feeding his bass clarinet through an array of electronics, Ben Bertrand creates worlds of mysterious density and sensual suggestions. If Debussy had composed on the international space station, this is what he might have sounded like.
Nadeem Din-Gabisi about Lyrics
On paper the multitude of influences in Nadeem Din-Gabisi's sound cosmos – from sacred hymns via soul and jazz to old school hip hop – can be dizzying. In practise, they blend together all but seamlessly. Albums are like people to him - they are walking, talking contradictions.
Nicolas Meier about Energy & Music
When Nicolas Meier and his congenial partner Ola Onabulé entered the studio, they had prepared nothing. They had to surrender themselves to the flow, the warm resonance of the vocals and the cool virtuosity of the guitar licks.
Melaine Dalibert Shares his Creative Process
Condensed down from much longer originals, two glacial ambient dreamstates for piano and electronics by Melaine Dalibert and David Sylvian reach beyond: Our human lives infallibly have an end, but this music of breathtaking stillness can keep playing forever.
Oh No Noh about the Magic of Sound(s)
Markus Rom puts the cables back into “cute.” His new album "As Late as Possible" comes at just the right time, creating a space where melancholic late-night post-rock meets blissfully stuttering prismatic melodies.
Morten Haxholm about Emotions in Music
Morten Haxholm's sequel to his ambient-jazz exploration Aether captures the same atmospheric intimacy but drives it forward with propulsive polyrythmic drumming and greater timbral diversity. Solid or ether – keeping the lines blurry is part of the magic here.
Florestan Shares his Creative Process
For Florestan, creativity is a mysterious and sacred space. His first solo album gently pulls you into this place with a suite of guitar pieces that oscillate between drift and focus, movement and contemplation, acoustic fragility and sizzling feedback.
Joabe Reis about Improvisation
“I communicate a lot through my eyes and gestures — it’s as if I had a baton in my hand, without actually needing one.”
All Men Unto Me about Dark Places
Despite tapping into desperation, disgust, and desolation, Rylan Gleave's Requiem is driven by the strange beauty of polarities. Catharsis is for amateurs - this is about accepting that pain and pleasure are inseparably entwined.
Alastair Lane about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Melancholy and euphoria are closely connected in the Paris producer's oeuvre. The dynamic tension of indie songwriting melts into the sweet magnetism of deep house grooves, creating pockets between dream and desire.
Andrew Pekler about the Magic of Sound(s)
Sound, according to Andrew Pekler, always requires an act of decoding. Working with it, we can truly create new environments, and new entities inhabiting them. As his new album shows, it's a playful process of world building that never ceases to astonish.
Goldkimono about Emotions in Music
Goldkimono's main goal is simple: Taking listeners “out of the worry state.” His feathery dream-funk is the musical equivalent to an Air Max: You still have to do the walking, but it sure feels a lot lighter.
J Mahon about Emotions in Music
“When I listen to my new album now, I feel immense sadness. Some of those songs just destroy me.”
JG Shadid about Minimalism
Shadid's yearning compositions for piano, string quartet, and electronics exist in their own time-space-continuum. Heartfelt repetition and intuitive variation flow from a romantic ideal rather than a purist mindset: Music is not about counting notes but making each one count.
Ledfoot about Lyrics
Where do the images of Tim Scott McConnell's vivid narrative world come from? Where do they lead? These are not questions he ponders – and maybe that's what lends his music its anything-but-plain-simple personality.
Shez Raja about Energy & Music
East doesn't just meet West on Shez Raja's “Spellbound.” They truly embrace each other. Driven by Raja's liquid bass lines and a hard-hitting drum n tabla section, the music oscillates between melodic lyricism and percussive bliss.
Chris Cheek about Directions in Jazz
Downbeat has referred to Chris Cheek's latest quartet recording as an “understated gem.” The praise is justified, but feels like a misrepresentation: This isn't the sound of restraint, but music of great anticipation which elevates every subtle nuance to a moment of devastating beauty.
Ello Sun Shares her Creative Process
Despite their warm, elastic bass lines, the dreamy songs of Ello Sun's first solo EP feel like creations of air and ether. They could go on forever, but prefer to fade before their spell is broken.
Born Ruffians about Emotions in Music
The Canadian quartet have recorded a collection of emphatically uplifting power pop anthems. In the best moments, they aren't just channelling their own emotions – they are creating dynamic feedback loops with anyone who listens to them.
Enrico Sangiuliano about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“Every tool I choose has to add meaning, not just sound.“
Jimena Angel Shares her Creative Process
For the Colombian songwriter, life and art are intricately intertwined: Her new, sunsplashed single literally came to her under the shower. Still, making music is instinctual – a source of love, healing, and self-empowerment.
The Bones of J.R. Jones about Lyrics
"Words are incredibly powerful … but where do they fall short?"
Nyah Grace about Emotions in Music
For Nyah Grace, soul and rnb are not glossy aural comfort food. Her songs show both sides of life's coin: The ecstasy and the heartbreak, the pleasure and the pain, the “longing, mixed with a little bit of sombreness.”
Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer about Collaboration
Integrating field recordings and gentle modular synth movements, the pieces of the duo's second album embrace their urban surroundings. The music never gets photorealistic, however, capturing an emotional response instead - lusher than life and much more beautiful than the real thing.
Maison Blanche about Minimalism
Experimenting with compressors, EQs, and tape recorders, Maison Blanche is bringing the deep, jazzy vibe of 90s French Touch house into the present. His productions sound fresh and contemporary – while smelling as familiar as a strawberry-jam croissant on a Sunday morning.
yonglee & the DOLTANG about Directions in Jazz
South Korea's jazz scene is changing: The fractures of society are pushing artists to speak up, while new technologies are fostering sonic experimentation. Seoul is oscillating between tradition and hyper-modernity – and yonglee is eager to ride the wave.
Hampus Lindwall about Directions in Contemporary Composition
As a classically-trained church organist, Hampus Lindwall plays four improvised masses each week. But none of them sounds like the pieces on his new album. Performed with endless inventiveness and energy, they make the instrument sound all but possessed.
Ronny Graupe Shares his Creative Process
What started out as performances of jazz standards resulted in a set of freewheeling trio pieces at once airy and intense – are these still "songs"?
Liz Vice about her Voice and Singing
For Liz Vice, spirituality informs her entire life. Her voice can silence an entire room and give her out of body experiences while singing. It is a power that feels gratifying and scary at the same time.
Adwer about Kraut & Krautrock
The Hungarian producer's “Kraut Komet” has sent audiences dancing to its cosmic sequencer lines for years. As his new EP proves, his interest in the electronic side of krautrock goes a lot deeper still.
Stilluppsteypa about the Magic of Sound(s)
The Icelandic duo still believe in the power of music to mesmerise, intoxicate and scare the shit out of you. Their new album consists almost entirely of loops that don't seem to go anywhere. It's incredible.
Domenic Cappello about Production, Technology, and Creativity
In Glasgow Domenic Cappello is already a legend. The pieces of his upcoming EP could make him one far beyond the city's borders. Layering rich, dreamy strings over Kraftwerk'esque beatwork, it's his most personal release yet.
Feyisayo Anjorin Shares his Creative Process
Hailing from Akure, Nigeria, Feyisayo Anjorin has excelled as an author, screenwriter and singer. Spirituality and storytelling inform songs which feel like an African soul take on the gospel tradition.
Yugen Blakrok about Directions in Hip Hop
For the South African rapper, the future has already begun. Her music and consciously word-heavy lyrics, however, aim to focus on the unchanging core of our human existence – creating connection and communion in the face of ever greater separation.
Asta Hiroki about Directions in Jazz
"Playing around and not adhering to formats or genres is how jazz originated. So perhaps I honour the spirit of it in that way."
Edu Comelles Allué about the Magic of Sound(s)
Sound artist Edu Comelles spent 5 years sculpting and continually reworking the pieces on his new album. They condense time into six soft meditations – fragile, fleeting, and never fully finished.
Brandee Younger Shares her Creative Process
Music is the space where harpist-composer Brandee Younger can say what needs to be said. Her new album Gadabout Season started with rage - and then sublimated into a personal field of beautiful catharsis.
Sandro Sáez Shares his Creative Process
“The title of the album was very clear to me long before the recording. But I still had to figure out what it meant.“
Sigmund Vestrheim aka DUMMY THICC about Drums and Percussion
Stretching across an epic 26 pieces, DUMMY THICC's debut album is an ode to the groove. But these are more than just rhythm studies. Interacting with seductive keys and resonant strings, his drums are gateways to deep emotional moods.
KARABA about DJing
For the French-Congolese artist, production is about vulnerability, DJing is about energy. By adding live percussion to her sets and relinquishing control, her vision becomes clear: This is not just about playing music, this is a performance.
Julia Basso about the Potentials of Music and Dance as Medicine
Eppur si muove: Movement is life and music initiates movement. By scientifically validating the power of rhythm, Julia Basso is finding new ways to support those with autism or spectrum disorder.
MCBAISE about Fashion & Music
“A black metal band playing in suits with ties would in of itself be a statement.”
KX9000 Shares his Creative Process
Creating music for travelling was the point of departure for KX9000's new EP. But these radiant, laid-back deep house songs don't just get the body moving – the mind is always being transported, too.
Omar Shares his Creative Process
Even into the third decade of his career, the impulse to create has never left the British soul legend. His first studio album in eight years radiates warmth and flows with effortless ease – the result of a trance-like approach to songwriting.
Salome Voegelin about the Magic of Sound(s)
We need sonic literacy, Salome Voegelin maintains. Sound can provide us with a powerfully different view of the world: One where things sound and come together, where we can access the invisible and the indivisible.
Maxine Troglauer about Directions in Jazz
A wealth of questions stood at the start of the bass trombonist's extraordinary debut album. Occupying a space between jazz, modern composition and experimentalism, the answers are always in her instrument and her imagination.
Aaron Helgeson on the Magic of Sound and Voice
"I never felt comfortable working with other people’s poetry. Not as they wrote it, anyway."
Soli City Share their Creative Process
Society and the constant urge to visualise everything are the main sources for the Copenhagen-based artist's hyper-organic, behind-the-mirror compositions. It's a curse – but one they gladly use to their advantage.
Farhot about Directions in Hip Hop
Born in Afghanistan, Farhot has become one of Germany's most acclaimed and exciting hip hop producers. The future? Is all about never being boring.
Miriam Hanika about Emotions in Music
The German songwriter and oboist has written a poetic album that takes listeners into their inner world. But although gestures and words are subtle, these pieces are always born from a burning fire inside.
Momus about the Magic of Sound(s)
“Is silence a right we'd be willing to die for? I'll be silent when I'm dead.”
Mia Morgan about Lyrics
“This is an angry album. And the time that angry women can command an audience’s undivided attention is very limited.“
Super Progressive about the Crucial Warm-Up Phase of DJing
"A great warm-up set can somewhat fly under the radar. But a bad opening set can derail a night."
Dina Summer about Production, Technology, and Creativity
The Berlin trio places Kraftwerk's naïve melodicism and cool vocals on top of Moroder-style bass sequences. The result is sexy, nocturnal, and physically intoxicating.
Mt. Joy Share their Creative Process
Mt. Joy continue their search for the perfect song on Hope We Have Fun. But it's a perfection that comes through free association and letting go – there are worlds of deeply felt intentions within the unintentional.
Goodman/Bordenave/Mahall about Directions in Jazz
“A moment of truth can ignite anywhere. What matters is the fire you bring to it.”
Porcelain about Dark Places
The Austin quartet's music is a no holds barred emotional dive into the shadowside of life. Still, their buzzing post-noise-rock-hardcore anthems always find the beauty hidden in the darkness.
Tools of Creation: The Didgeridoo
For Richard Poher, the didgeridoo is strikingly simple but offers endless potential. It allows for intellectual approaches while connecting us to the earth.
Andi Haberl of Bella Wakame about Drums and Percussion
“I have to feel comfortable. Then, I just have to let go and play and listen.”
Florian Zimmer of Bella Wakame on All Things Modular
“The modular's an instrument that I have to work on constantly. When I come back from a holiday, I often find myself wondering how it all works.”
DJ Psychiatre about Production, Technology, and Creativity
The French producer's hypnotic sonic dreams do not reinvent the rules of deep house. Suffused with warmth and a sense of wonder, they extend into worlds that retain their mystery yet feel like coming home.
Raz Olsher about Film Music
For the British composer, film music can sometimes show things that aren't on the screen. On his latest project, an instrumental score to an imaginary Spaghetti Western movie, there isn't even a screen any more.
Marc Melià about Minimalism
Marc Melià's new album was recorded entirely on a monophonic analog synthesizer. The result is not just so inventive it's hard to believe the premise – but also deeply moving, and utterly unique.
Ayumi Ishito about Directions in Jazz
“If I could see Coltrane live I would be so excited I would faint.”
Michael Vallera about the Magic of Sound(s)
The guitarist and sound artist's ghostly drone works are testimony to an acute sensitivity to sound. This album isn't just called “The Other World” - it actually feels like listening to one.
Stella Sommer of Die Heiterkeit about Lyrics
Stella Sommer has been likened to Lana del Rey and Nico. As her new album as Die Heiterkeit proves, these comparisons are mere pointers for an artist for whom songwriting is beyond control – sometimes a walk in the park, sometimes a battlefield.
Ambre Ciel about Directions in Contemporary Composition
The Canadian composer intended approaching her debut album with the most minimal concept imaginable. In the end, the pieces grew increasingly more orchestral, more lush, more sepiatoned – while still incorporating her pull towards the unknown and unconventional.
Gojnea76 about Production, Technology, and Creativity
“The real question is: What sound do you want to create? It all depends on your curiosity and what pushes you to break barriers.“
Daniel O'Sullivan (Ulver, Sunn O))) about Directions in Contemporary Composition
“I think we’ve moved beyond the idea of the composer as a solitary genius. Composing today is as much about curating and connecting as it is about generating.”
Margaux Gazur about the Magic of Sound(s)
The woozy, welcoming deep-house-textures of Gazur's new album stretch out into immersive epics. Partly inspired by the noises of Vietnam and dealing with tinnitus, these pieces get better by turning the volume down.
G.W. Sok (ex-The Ex, Sopa Baba) about Lyrics
At first, translating the dark subject matter of a short story by Nicoleta Esinencu into music seemed like a journey into Eastern European history. As G.W. Sok and Pavel Tchikov eventually discovered, it turned out to be a stunningly visionary comment on the current the state of the world.
John Acquaviva about Directions in Electronic Music
“I believe that the relationship between the roots of music and what we have now is NOT STRONG ENOUGH.”
Amanda Ekery about her Voice and Singing
The Texas vocalist, composer and instrumentalist draws from her Mexican and Syrian roots for her intensely inwards-looking songs. The world is not just her oyster – it's a miracle of intimacy and utter freedom.
The Vernon Spring about the Magic of Sound(s)
“Our dishwasher has some great polyrhythms! It also creates this melody which reminds my partner of the Curtis Mayfield song ‘Move On Up’!”
Andrea Casarrubios about Directions in Contemporary Composition
People, programs, and places are on the Spanish cellist's mind, both when she's composing and performing. But in the end, her music always feeds off the human experience: “When something feels important, your body remembers.”
Noni-Mouse about Directions in Electronic Music
The left-of-center artist is using every tool at her disposal to keep her approach fresh: Scoring for film, tapping into AI, drawing from Mumbai's art scene and “working with atonal sources of sound, to create textural dance music that feels accessible and fresh.”
Pawas about Minimalism
Electronic music is the natural home for Pawas Gupta. Still, in his productions, the idea of a band is always on his mind – regardless of the genre he's working on.
Arborra about the Magic of Sound(s)
“The only thing that truly gives me hope for humanity is sound.”
Joy Guidry about Emotions
“There was a lot of smiling, but even more tears while recording this album.“
Dominik Gehringer and Jordan Arts: Can Sound Change the World?
"Music can quite literally save lives."
Ensign Broderick about Minimalism
Releasing two albums at the same time might not seem particularly minimalistic. But for Come Down and Mirror Ring, Canadian songwriter Ensign Broderick restricted himself to little more than his voice and the piano – in this vast emotional space, every single sound matters.
Rose Room about Celebrating their Long, Long Career and their Creative Process
It don't mean a thing unless it ain't got those strings: After 15 years of relentlessly reinvigorating Swing, the Scottish ensemble have enriched their sound with a layer of nostalgic violins – be prepared to cry once, then cry twice.
Pavel Tchikov Shares his Creative Process
Pavel Tchikov had to face emotional baggage from childhood for his duo with Dutch vocalist G.W. Sok. It translated to a work of brutal beauty, industrial beats, glistening strings, and naked poetry.
Jackie Myers about her Voice and Singing
“Tone, placement, and rhythm allow communication in a way speaking could never really match.”
Super Progressive about his Progressive House Podcast, Passionate Clubbers, and Authentic Journalism
"Once it was just me and my handheld camera, the artists seemed to open up more."
Manuel Pasquinelli about Drumming
Pasquinelli has been the emotional pulse behind a variety of formidable formations at the borders between jazz and post-punk and -rock. On his solo project, he is now drumming and collaborating with delicately drifting drones – an equally dreamy, intense, and otherworldly experience.
Chicarica Share their Creative Process
Chicarica are the latest entry in a long line of luminous Chilean synth pop bands. Their take on the genre is mesmerising, floating, and blissful – somewhere between a dream of Kraftwerk and Underworld, but always entirely their own thing.
The Young Mothers about Directions in Jazz
This band contains multitudes: The Young Mothers are playing spiritual jazz filled with beauty, fuelled by diversity and a deep sense of trust.
M(h)aol Share their Creative Process
Too much coffee, a subversive humour and an un-spiritual approach to creativity drove the Irish trio's latest set of songs about feminism and dogs. The band's manic post-rock is as experimental as it is catchy, taking the pressure of their anthemic riffs to the point of explosive combustion.
Hybrid Protokol about Directions in Electronic Music
"With the rise of Instagram, DJing and electronic music have become a FARCE."
5volts about Minimalism
As a resident of one of the world's most maximalist metropoles, Kalkotta's 303-and-drum-maschine explorer Varun Desai came to appreciate the minimalist mindset late. It's still a radical concept to him – but one which offers the reward of total freedom of expression.
Theo Bleak about her Voice and Singing
The track titles to the Scottish song-poets pieces - filled with "liars," "grief," and unrequited feelings - point to a world of inner turmoil. Her voice is a source of comfort here, a beacon amidst an ocean of beautiful brokenness.
Gilles Aubry about the Magic of Sound(s)
Aubry's list of favourite sounds is long, extending from abandoned railway shacks and a river gorge in the Moroccan Atlas to old movie theatres and the hellbound chaos of metal band Portal. But don't get him started on the sirens of Berlin's fire trucks!
Ziggy Zeitgeist and Lewis Moody from EX GENERATION about XJAZZ! 2025 and Directions in Jazz
"This is the lesson we learn from music: it allows us to just be here, right now, present."
Vesna Pisarović about her Voice and Singing
In this expansive interview on the occasion of her new album Poravna with improvisers Tony Buck, Axel Dörner, Noël Akchoté, and Greg Cohen, the Crotian vocalist and composer dives deep into all aspects of singing – from the sacredness of performing to the limitations of the body.
Resavoir and Matt Gold about their Collaboration
A shared admiration for Brazilian music from the 60s and 70s was the “North Star” for the duo's heavenly acoustic excursions. Expanding on short, sometimes 4-bar-loop ideas, these compositions are dreamy yet distinct, sweet but passionate, hazy but with intense focus.
Elana Sasson about Emotions in Music
Sasson's recent collection of songs deals with longing, hope, and inbetween sensations. These pieces are tender, but Sasson won't let anything stop them – not even having to play in total darkness for many minutes during a recent gig.
Azmari on Energy & Music
Re-uniting with a former band member and opening themselves up to cross-cultural influences, Azmari are venturing beyond their ethio-jazz roots. More minimal than ever, however, their music stays true to its core: The trance of hypnotic grooves and the mystery of sound.
Aron & The Jeri Jeri Band about XJAZZ! 2025 and Directions in Jazz
Translating their raw, propulsive electronic afrobeat to the stage remains a constant challenge for the trio. The real task, however, is to remain relevant: “Being an original artist today feels like survival.”
Cloth Share their Creative Process
“Loss, grief and the process of trying to self-assure” remain the focal points of the Glasgow duo's beautifully poignant songs. This time, however, enriched by Adrian Utley's synths and rich string arrangements, they tap into even deeper and more powerful sensations.
Andrew Moreno about Energy, Improvisation, and his Creative Process
“It's important to bring a little confrontation to audiences more often.”
Luke Hess about the Magic of Sound(s)
“We can all benefit from listening to music and to our fellow human beings on a deeper level.”
Harrison Lipton about Lyrics
Harrison Lipton's songs are deceptively soft, padded with gorgeous harmonies and dreamy grooves. But his diaristic and private take on lyrics lends them a relatably moving, and occasionally devastatingly heartbreaking quality.
Joy Guidry about XJAZZ! 2025 and Directions in Jazz
Joy Guidry's expansion as an artist parallels the expansion of jazz as a genre. Working with basson, electronics, poetry, and her voice, her latest projects push sonic boundaries into a space between the spiritual and the radical.
KitschKrieg about Collaboration, Technology, and Creativity
With a unique aesthetic and style, KitschKrieg have made it to the creative top of Germany's hip hop scene. On London's Calling, they focus on collaboration and songwriting, while staying true to their philosophy: Being professional dilettantes with a minimal set-up.
Katelyn Clark and Mitch Renaud about Improvisation
The press release to the duo's latest explorations mentions Deleuze, Nietzsche, and the "planetary movements." The music, meanwhile, performed on small pipe organ and modular, is built on direct interaction, holding a space of gradually interweaving and shifting oscillations.
Penelope Trappes: Can Sound Change the World?
"I like the idea of my music being a kind of gathering or community, where we can all feel connected to something infinite."
Uli Kempendorff about Emotions
There has to be more to music than emotions, finds saxophonist Uli Kempendorff. On the new album with his quartet Field, there is. Casting a questioning mood between transcendence and the visceral, these pieces invite the listener to co-shape the experience.
Black Loops about Production, Technology, and Creativity
As Black Loops, Riccardo Paffetti pushes his laid-back, futuristic Detroit love letters forward with live drumming and cool electro beats. It's cosmic man-machine music made by humans for humans.
Rebecca Vasmant about Directions in Jazz
The multifaceted composer/producer/DJ's vision of jazz is like a dream of the Glasgow jazz scene: Soft, sensual, subtle and full of wonder for the everyday miracles of life.
Danielle Nia on All Things Modular
Switching from keyboard to modular finally allowed Danielle Nia to realise what was in her head. Her ultimate goal: To shape her sound to the same degree as a string player or vocalist.
lilo about Lyrics
“In a song you can say anything you like. But I think it is important to say something that matters to you.“
JakoJako about Directions in Electronic Music
Sibel Koçer's recent trip to Vietnam resulted in sequencer music of ethereal, brightly coloured beauty. It is testimony to her admiration for the Asian electronic scene – and a restless brain in need of constant stimulation.
RAH from RAH & the Ruffcats about XJAZZ! 2025 and Directions in Jazz
Some people can use improvisation to talk to the universe, Rapturous Apollo Helios believes. But for the infectuous 21st century afrobeat of the Ruffcats, the main key is simply for the groove to never stop.
Shunkan about Energy & Music
“It's a big thing coming,” Marina Sakimoto sings in the opening to her new album. But the music breathes a sense of intimacy and longing. Right in between nostalgia and euphoria lies the magic of her fuzz-drenched dream pop.
Elijah Jamal Asani about the Magic of Sound(s)
Places of worship hold a special meaning for Asani's response to sound. It it isn't the silence between notes that feels important to him – but a softness capable of exerting incredible power.
Melia Watras about Directions in Contemporary Composition
The 18 short pieces on Watras's “Almond Tree Duos” are pure, poignant, powerful in their immediacy. The emotional range is wide and the techniques diverse - but hope is always the overarching sensation.
Clay Jenkins about Directions in Jazz
"A musician can’t truly be an innovator without being well informed about the history and legacy of jazz and jazz musicians."
Interview Review: jakojako – Tết 41
A personal trip to Vietnam resulted in a sequencer album opening up into a galaxy of intimacy. Tangerine Dream could have written this in the mid-80s – it would have been one of their better works.
Mara Schwerdtfeger about the Magic of Sound(s)
The Australian sound artist, currently on tour through Europe, has experienced sound in the most diverse spaces – including a huge disused fish silo. Still, nothing beats the calm and beauty of everyday noises.
Matthias Tschopp (it's me?) on all Things Modular
Joining forces as it's me?, Matthias Tschopp and Jürg Zimmermann aimed at something in between experimental sound art, ambient, techno and jazz. Getting there turned into a journey.
Jürg Zimmermann (it’s me?) on all Things Modular
Starting from the trumpet, Zimmermann gradually developed a modular set-up aimed at experimentation and exploration. Control is an important element – but so are chance and coincidence.
YASS about Dark Places
Something's hidden in the basement, something sinister and hypnotic, flooded in strobe light, smeared with pulsating synth streaks. If you want to feel safe here, you've got to make the demons your friend.
GOBLYNS about Kraut & Krautrock
The mostly Berlin-based trio are playing an airy, almost weightless version of motoric magic. Somewhere between Can and Khruangbin and forever indebted to the jam.
Sorvina about Directions in Hip Hop
Studying the greats of the past and present is a pivotal part of Sorvina's process. Her stories, however, are uniquely her own – and can never be destroyed by any system.
Merrick Winter about Lyrics
Merrick Winter's new EP is a collection of true, not necessarily real stories – picked up over dinner while riding the train, overheard on the street, drawn from life lessons imparted to him.
Peter van Hoesen about Production, Technology, and Creativity
The Belgian producer's studio has recently gone through incisive changes. But it is never the hardware that counts – but rather the will to keep going and radically question himself in difficult times.
Thomas Burkhardt about Minimalism
“I asked myself if I could do something like techno without having a sequencer or drum voices - or voices at all.”
Hans Bilger Shares his Creative Process
With thousands of kilometres between them, coherence was the main concern for Hans Bilger and Eli Greenhoe's songwriting process. As they soon found out, they weren't building bridges – but entire musical worlds.
Raúl Monsalve about Directions in Jazz
On the return of his band Los Forajidos, the Venezuelan bassist hits a lighter tone than on the politically driven predecessor. His delirious, trance-inducing grooves between tradition, trap and robotic funk remain true to his core motto, however: Ancient to the Future and Future to the Ancient.
SEX BEAT about Energy & Music
Anger is the driving force for the Berlin formation. Recorded in a rehearsal room, their upcoming sophomore effort is a beacon for those in need of release.
George Draguns of Roboquarians about Improvisation
The Roboquarians' second album is progressive-punk-style Black Flag jazz: Free, but with intense intent.
Mo Lowda & the Humble about Emotions in Music
"I’ve looked up and seen smiles. I’ve looked up and seen tears. Sometimes during the same song. Sometimes at the same time."
Uner about Minimalism
“Minimalism isn’t just reducing but it’s refining. It’s a deep search for essence and presence.”
Adja Fassa about Lyrics
Joni Mitchell and Erykah Badu showed Adja how to not just believe in herself, but to actually believe herself. In her music, she is not afraid to extend her limits – she's not just an artist, but an athlete, too.
Roberto Di Gioia of WebWeb about Directions in Jazz
“If I had seen Hendrix live, or Coltrane ... I would probably have become a gardener.”
Nathan Davis Shares his Creative Process
Picking up a variety of raw materials from Home Depot was the first step of the creative process for Nathan Davis's new piece. Gradually, the music grew into a micro-immersive space of Youtube samples, MaxMSP manipulations and suspensefully discrete, visceral sounds.
Vilhelm Bromander about Directions in Jazz
Connections and exploring the unknown are at the core of Vilhelm Bromander's approach to music. The new album of his Unfolding Orchestra is an epic spiritual jazz journey embracing the mystery of twilight states.
Luke Spiller of The Struts about Lyrics
For his euphoric solo debut, the Struts' frontman studied great poets and lyricists. In the end, however, melody is still key.
Satomimagae about the Magic of Sound(s)
The tender, almost whispered sonic poems of the Japanese artist float in a space between sound and song. They open up intimate galaxies within the safety of your own room.
Elles Bailey about Energy
“I have gigged when I felt like I have nothing to give. It's in those moments that the audience can carry you.”
Mobley Shares his Creative Process
Usually, Mobley can hear and project the end result of the creative process right from the start. For his new, speculative fiction concept album, however, he had to wait patiently for the right ideas to come.
FAMILY GARDEN about Dark Places
The Pennsylvania band blend brutal blast beats, spiky punk riffs and blackened atmospherics into a ferocious maelstrom - “part grief and loss, part religious imagery and part monsters of the mind.”
Rindert Lammers about Directions in Jazz
Somewhere between The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Mark Isham's ambient jazz soundtracks and the clear bell tones and choir-like sounds of early Roland synths lies a place the Dutch producer loves to visit.
Konalgad about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Konalgad's debut LP sits at the cusp between dream and nightmare, reliving and exorcising a dark phase in his life. And yet, these pieces move towards the light, not away from it – testimony to the ideal of physically playing, singing and moving his body while composing.
Ada Morghe about Lyrics
Songs are not the only form of lyrical expression for Ada Morghe, who also writes plays and books. But, she feels, words are particularly powerful when combined with sound: “Music reaches the heart before the mind even has a chance to catch up.”
An-Ting about Interspecies Communication
The Taiwan-born sound artist's Lost Communication is one of the most wondrous takes on animal sounds: Listening deeply, she is putting birds in the spotlight, propelling their song forward with beats, sweetening their signals with sultry soundscapes.
Shcaa about the Magic of Sound(s)
“The mixing stages can feel very sculptural. Arranging is more like painting.”
Infinity Division about Directions in Electronic Music
No matter how dark and intense Ash Luke's jungle and hardcore-inspired almost-un-dj'able productions may be – there needs to be a spark of soul at their heart.
Trousdale Share their Creative Process
Growth is the key theme on the trio's new album. So why are their lovingly crafted, breathtakingly harmonised songs moved by a bittersweet undercurrent?
Fraser Smith about Directions in Jazz
There is always potential for something new in the swing-oriented jazz of the British saxophonist. And yet, in our digital age, sometimes just hitting the stage with an all-acoustic band can be enough to grab attention.
Tara Nome Doyle Shares her Creative Process
Doyle's new album emerged from confusion and loss. Aiming at a translation of raw, unfiltered truth, she ultimately found inspiration in sensations of disconnection and disorientation.
Peter Gregson about Directions in Contemporary Composition
The cellist and composer finds beauty in how sounds interact with the space they're born into. On his new album, every stroke of the bow and modular synth line is lovingly, laboriously shaped by hand.
Ginger Winn about Emotions in Music
Winn's new songs were haunted by a ghostly premonition. The devastating suicide of her father changed her as a person and an artist – but there was never any choice but to deal with it with raw honesty.
Lullahush: Can Sound Change the World?
Beats, sampled and chopped lyrics, field recordings and processed instruments: In his wondrous songs, inspired by Irish culture and poetry, Daniel McIntyre excavates fossils from the future.
Sofia Härdig about Lyrics
As a kid, the Swedish songwriter was addicted to books and played in nine bands at the same time. These addictions never ended, they just got sublimated: Words and music are never separated in her larger-than-life torch songs.
Gleb Kolyadin Shares his Creative Process
Gleb Kolyadin's Mobula touches on anything from minimal music to instrumental piano prog. That's because he believes that anything can be an inspiration.
Mark Constantine about Curation, Compilations, and the Connections between Perfume and Music
"If we take “Chelsea Morning” by Joni Mitchell and you look at the lyrics, it is very easy to smell the bath bomb we created."
Sominaryst about Directions in Electronic Music
Ukrainian producer Anton Somin talks the talk on the future of music - and his meticulously crafted, future-high, sample-shot rhythmical sculptures more than delivers on the promises.
Shai Maestro Shares his Creative Process
The Israeli pianist and ECM artist had no intention to record a solo album. Listening back to two gigs of “miniatures and tales,” he discovered a spontaneous beauty beyond planning.
Chiminyo about Directions in Jazz
For the British drummer and producer, the stage is the studio and improvisation is instant composition. His collaborative performances have myriads of roots – but jazz and a love for randomised electronic systems are key components.
Stranded Horse Shares his Creative Process
Recorded to analog tape and capturing the essence of twelve years as a duo, this third-eye-folk-music builds intimate spaces from guitar, kora and vocals.
Micah Thomas about Directions in Jazz
Music, for Micah Thomas, fosters radical acceptance. Ahead of a trio performance at Ladbroke Hall, the pianist reflects on his views on collaboration and improvisation and how performing on stage keeps him sane.
Mörmaid about Production, Technology, and Creativity
An inveterate perfectionist Live Sollid Schulerud could never finish a track in a few hours. Perhaps that's precisely what makes her inimitable electronic songscapes, often driven by deeply personal experiences, so unique.
Matteo Liberatore (aka Molto Ohm) about how sound and noise contribute to our Wellbeing
"We need noise to keep us creative and push boundaries."
Courtney Hadwin about her Voice and Singing
The British singer-songwriter loves the sensation of having her body taken over by music - turning into a medium for pure desperation and anger.
Max Walker about Directions in Jazz
Max Walker is right – his hard-hitting fusion isn't avantgarde per se. But it is certainly part of the vanguard when it comes to rhythmical inventiveness, emotional complexity and the creation of deep, innovative textures.
Medlar about Directions in Electronic Music
Ned Pegler sees no reason to fear for the future. On his deep new album he is tapping into the unknown and building instantly relatable visions of dance music from improvisations.
Interview-Review: Kaidi Tatham – Miles Away
4D performances caught in a time loop: Using and breaking the spell of his loops, the British fusion master replaces improvisation and composition with his personal dream-logic.
Mark Van Hoen about the Magic of Sound(s)
“Sound is a more direct line to the human spirit than the visual arts.“
Kjetil Husebø about Improvisation and his Piano Transformed project
Composer and improviser Kjetil Husebø had become estranged from the piano. Then, he connected it to samplers and electronics and started building alien worlds somewhere between structure and spontaneity.
Ashley Henry about Directions in Jazz
The British pianist and composer is about to take his soulful modern jazz to stages across the UK. As always, the album versions will merely be a springboard for inspired in-the-moment actualisation.
Kids Return Share their Creative Process (2025 Version)
Friendships and the bonds of love remain important catalysts for the psychedelic pop of the French duo – so do food, great melodies and studios with windows.
Hara Alonso about the Magic of Sound(s)
In her music, Alonso weaves sonic objects of different spatialities into time-arresting drift-states. It's a place of pure experience - no one's judging.
The Null Club about Directions in Electronic Music
In his new project, the Gilla Band guitarist explores twisted house, noise and making the foundations of his tracks sound fucked.
Joan Arnau Pàmies about Minimalism
After once being blown away by Reich's 18 Musicians, the Catalan composer no longer looks at music through a maximalist or minimalist lense. It's all about finding and honing the ideas that truly matter.
ESINAM & Sibusile Xaba about their Collaboration
We call it interspiritual jazz: The soulful songs and blissful moods of these two multitalented polymaths extends beyond borders and genres.
Alex Garnett about Directions in Jazz
To Alex Garnett, even after 100 years, jazz is still “finding its way.” Ahead of a quintet performance at Ladbroke Hall, the saxophonist reflects on the unique UK sound, the chops of a new generation and why his discography as a leader has remained fairly small.
Jon Allen about his Voice and Singing
Teachers tried to smooth out the edge, roughness and rasp in Jon Allen's voice. Thankfully, he had a record player – and a stubborn streak.
El Leon Pardo about Improvisation
El Leon Pardo's journey into music started with a mystical experience. On his psychedelic new album, he is channeling it through cosmic cumbia, spiritual jazz and dubbed-out electronics.
Dilee D about Directions in Electronic Music
Sri-Lankan born Dilee D has found a new home in Chicago. A firm believer in the benefits of technology, his shimmering melodic house is inspired by the constant need to push the envelope.
Kinwu & Koan the alias about Directions in Hip Hop
“What hip hop could be like is something so far from its origins that it may not be called hip hop.”
Leonie Jakobi about her Voice and Singing
At 12, Leonie Jakobi wanted to sound like Bon Jovi. Today, the singer has found her own voice, and her own style - and has come full circle on her new single.
Lisa Harres: Can Sound Change the World?
"The world needs an understanding of complexity, of the coexistence of opposing thoughts and emotions. Nothing is ever just one thing."
JKriv about Directions in Electronic Music
With a background in jazz and inspired by Frank Zappa and Edgard Varèse early on, Jason Kriveloff's take on house was always going to be different. Recorded while going through serious health issues, his new EP is a triumph of life teaming with individuality.
Interview Review: Butcher Brown - Letters from the Atlantic
A series of sonic postcards with an all-embracing reach and a profound emotional impact.
Chris Gall about Improvisation
Debussy with contemporary grooves, Satie even dreamier than the original? Chris Gall is improvising the music of the great impressionists - looking for the link between himself, history, and the moment.
Alfie Cattell of Decent Music PR about Promotion Beyond the Stats and Genuine Engagement
"Many of the positives we associate with the music industry are actually a result of technology rather than anything the industry itself is doing."
Mess Esque Share their Creative Process
The songs of the Australian duo float in soft, psychedelic fluid – as if each note, every word and the next chord were sent to them from an alternate, liminal space.
Natasha Barrett about beauty over death and detaching from the crazyness of the world
The electro-acoustic composer talks us through the motivations and inspirations behind her latest collection of works.
Thomas Florin of Dig Dug Dug about Improvisation
Florin doesn't think of himself as a fairly limited instrumentalist. In the piano trio Dig Dug Dug, those limitations lead to a direct and unromantic sound, bound- and borderless interactions - and plenty of surprises.
Interview Review: Ciao Kennedy - Solarium
Virtual and physical reality merge on this time-travelling fusion of rock, jazz, and electronica – a perfect representation of the present moment.
Oliver Lutz about the Magic of Sound(s)
Equally wondrous, joyful, and sexy, Oliver Lutz's music is a celebration of his deep fascination with sound – be it from Coltrane, Tomita, fusion jazz or the singing of lyrebirds.
Mary Bue: Can Sound Change the World?
“Songs can help us see things in a new way … and that is empowering.“
Tara Sarter of Sarter Kit about Directions in Jazz
Saxophonist Tara Sarter doesn't believe anything is better than anything else. On her latest album, this simple creed translates to one of the most unconventional visions of the jazz trio format.
JOYE about Lyrics
These electronic pop songs, influenced equally by Sinéad O'Connor, Patti Smith and Björk, are powerful in their courage to portrait powerlessness, universal in their intimacy, consoling by channelling pain.
This is not a Beginning
Tobias Fischer reflects on how the death of one of Germany's biggest singers created an infinite loop.
Apparitions about Energy & Music
Aiming for the border between divine ecstasy and extreme horror, the doom metal trio “saturate the acoustic space and overtone series in an attempt to sever the listener’s consciousness from the past and the future.”
Marina Zispin about Directions in Electronic Music
The term “synth pop” doesn't do this collection of dark, mysterious, and weirdly glamorous songs justice. Inviting myriads of comparisons, it remains incomparable.
Salin about Drumming
The Thai drummer's global take on jazzy funk is so dreamy and groovy that it all but belies her real intention: To hit as many things at once as she possibly can.
Tasha LaRae (Arrested Development) about her Voice and Singing
Soulful, sultry, and smooth, Tasha LaRae's Right Now is a feast for lovers of deep vocal house. Every track stays true to her goal: Expressing every emotion she holds inside.
Vega Trails about Minimalism
Vega Trails are still playing subtle, spiritual trios between double bass, sax and space. This time, however, they wanted to see make their minimalist music as big as mountains.
OHYUNG about Directions in Electronic Music
OHYUNG firmly intends to be a pop star. Their new album has all the right hooks, infectuous melodies, and sultry beats – but bathes them in an otherworldly twilight.
The Infinity Ring about Energy & Music
Scott Walker’s Tilt “objectively” inspired the majestic trance-states of the New England fivepiece – never fully discharging, perpetually in a state of feverish suspension.
Interview Review: Biomania – System D
A caleidoscopic continuum from hip to jazz, a transatlantic bridge, a showcase for a highly individual band sound.
Lil’T about Directions in Electronic Music
Inspired by his Latin roots and applying techniques of Sushi preparation to his productions, the new album by the Pillowtalk member is a joyful collection of infectious house songs.
VRAELL about the Magic of Sound
Olafur Arnalds is a fan, but Burial is an inspiration: VRAELL re-defines the borders between producer, songwriter, and composer.
Broodmen about Directions in Jazz
Music may not be as important in an ADD world. But to accordion-and-guitar-weilding jazzrock-trio Broodmen, there is still no alternative to living jazz 24/7.
Rita Donte about her Voice and Singing
The Cuban singer-songwriter's voice shines brighter than ever on Ritual. But it's the big communal choruses, performed without a metronome, which brought most joy to her.
Interview Review: Imperial Triumphant - Goldstar
Terrible or incredible? The trio's hypertechnical metal turns towards storytelling.
DARGZ about Directions in Hip Hop
The upcoming new DARGZ full-length is a family affair filled with warm soul, crisp beats and chopped-up contributions from London's new jazz scene.
C'mon Tigre Share their Creative Process
Emerging from skeletal sketches, the global-minded duo's expansive new album is driven by the synergy between words and sounds and the beauty hidden in misunderstandings.
Katarina Gryvul about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Embracing multimediality, and multidisciplinarity, Gryvul navigates between radical sound art, Ukrainian folk-themes and inventive ensemble work.
Christoph Irniger about Directions in Jazz
Combinations over Content: The Swiss saxophonist is giving in to the moment completely on his new, entirely live-recorded album.
Interview Review: William Basinski - September 23rd
A state of suspension, a feeling of voluntary submission: This music needs to exist.
Gizmo Varillas Shares his Creative Process
“Part of the role of an artist is to determine if an idea is worth exploring.”
Ciao Kennedy about Energy & Music
The Brussels-based band's passionate post-rock-electronica finds an excitingly unstable equilibrium between sentimental analog nostalgia and loud, uplifting futurism.
Verena Zeiner about Directions in Jazz
Faced with big, burning questions, Verena Zeiner accepted her responsibility as an artist – responding with radical care and a new-found musical freedom.
Gerald Mitchell (Spiral Deluxe, Underground Resistance) about Directions in Electronic Music
With Spiral Deluxe, the Detroit keyboard player is shaping his vision of a bright future – between the acoustic and the electric, tradition and progress, jazz and house.
KEINE ANGST IM DUNKELN about the Magic of Sound(s)
High Frequency Fetishism: On his fuzz-drunk solo debut, Denis Wanic of SUIR is affectionately piercing your ears.
ARV about Energy & Music
Unleashing an Arctic Post Metal Inferno, the Norwegian band clearly feel strongly about transmitting energy. Their goal: To help listeners raise their voices.
XIXA Share their Creative Process
Based on an old French theatrical production, the Tuxon, AZ band created a trip of latinamerican rhythms and deep songwriting - a challenge they wouldn't care to do again any time soon.
Ricky McKinnie of The Blind Boys of Alabama about his Voice and Singing
One of the great American gospel voices about the importance of natural harmony – and the cough drops The Blind Boys of Alabama swear by.
Tom Avgenicos about Directions in Contemporary Composition
On Ghosts Between Streams, triggered by observations of ecological destruction, the environmental impact is “both the subject and the work itself.”
Matteo Liberatore (aka Molto Ohm) about the Magic of Sound(s)
Is every sound we hear loaded with associations with our past? On the first album of his new project – a collage of beats, sequences, personal messages and blocks of sound - Matteo Liberatore is determined to find out.
Interview Review: Blind Io - Pillars of Creation (Part 1)
No abstractions: Electro-acoustic improvisation in the age of fun.
Ni Maxine about Directions in Jazz
Watch this space – in her songs and performances, the British songwriter is digging deep into the new and unknown of a genre she has a funny relationship with.
Mood Bored Share their Creative Process
The Dutch indie rock trio are finding beauty in a fucked up world - always looking for the suckerpunch in the most mundane things.
Darci Phenix about her Voice and Singing
Pushing beyond autotune, Darci Phenix discovered the true potential of her voice on Sable – while retaining the dreamy, otherworldly spirit of her folk songs.
Elia Aregger about Energy & Music
Inspired by “long days and nights that stretched into the morning”, the hypnagogic music of Aregger's trio moulds sensuality and suspense into “moments where the energy boils beneath the surface.”
Interview Review: Okonski - Entrance Music
Utopian jazz: Music so beautiful that it makes you experience and long for a better world.
Ibelisse Guardia & Frank Rosaly about Directions in Jazz
Experiencing the duo's debut album MestizX is “like downloading a mountain” - a mind-altering journey through trance-inducing vocals, multilayered drumming, naked emotion and psychotropic electronics.
Azul Kechi about her Voice and Singing
The Nigerian-British singer and lyricist wants to leave an imprint and offer a true representation of who she is. On her soulful and stripped-down debut album, she's come pretty close to that ideal.
EB Rebel about Directions in Hip Hop
The “rebel sound” marries true lyricism with a border- and genreless sound that is dark, powerful and uplifting all at once.
Interview Review: Fox Capture Plan - DEEPER
The melodies of the Japanese Acid-Fusion-trio keep falling down - but the effect is one of consolation and ecstasy.
Grand River about the Magic of Sound
For her new album, Aimée Portioli processed, pitched and arranged wind recordings. The result is a veritable force of nature – and possibly the most powerful piece of sound art you'll hear this year.
Lauren Mia: Can Sound Change the World?
“If more people approached communication the way musicians do, so many conflicts could dissolve effortlessly.”
Rose Betts about Lyrics
Tradition and the present are caught in a burning, dream-like embrace in Rose Bett's songs. Each flaw and failing, each high point and low point – nothing is ever off the table.
Elaine Mitchener about Working, Composing, and Improvising with her Voice
Ahead of a new Barbican premiere, the experimental vocalist speaks about her practise, disrupting semantic sense and her love for how people say the things they say.
Dream Brigade about Improvisation
Martial arts and creative remembering are guiding principles for the piano-percussion duo. Their debut album incorporates moments of intimacy, sonic sculpting and suspenseful drum rolls.
Interview Review: Rob Mazurek - Alternate Moon Cycles
The deeper this single-note meditation goes, the more it creates the sensation that “we're all in this together.”
Roller Derby Share their Creative Process
Wherever the Hamburg duo may go - the next big melancholic chorus is always right around the corner.
Mathias Landæus about Energy & Music
No plans, no concepts. Just honesty and vulnerability: On an impressionist, bittersweet new trio album, Mathias Landæus is once again surrendering to the flow.
WHO SHOT SCOTT about Directions in Hip Hop
WHO SHOT SCOTT's music may not be overtly political. Its dopamine-spike-frenzy gives it a soundtrack-to-the-next-revolution-quality nonetheless.
Kuunatic Share their Creative Process
Kuunatic play psychedelic rock on traditional Japanese instruments. Their process involves science fiction, mythology - and burning incense from Kyoto's Nanzen-ji Temple.
Reiko Füting about Directions in Contemporary Composition
There is a lot of space in Füting's compositions – filled with echoes of the past, an embrace of magic and the will to break it.
Xani about Energy & Music
Live, Xani channels the rawness of Hendrix and Paganini. On her upcoming studio album, she expresses feelings of loss and grief through krautrock.
STRUKTURSTRUKTUR about Directions in Jazz
Propelled by two drummers, the quartet are looking for patterns between hypnosis and deconstruction, tactile grooves and grainy texture.
JOHNNYSWIM about Lyrics
Cuban folk, Nu Soul, dreamy acoustics and uplifting beats - everything flows naturally on the new JOHNNYSWIM album. Aptly, writing songs feels like water to them.
KARMÅ Shares her Creative Process
KARMÅ's music is a return to the core of club music: Alchemic, euphoric, and deeply spiritual. It is also simply classic songwriting.
Yumiko Ohno (Spiral Deluxe) about Directions in Electronic Music
“We must respect the great music of the past, and create something new,” moog master Yumiko Ohno says. To do this, she keeps her antennae open to jazz and electronica, installations, and DJ sets.
SHURR JR. about Energy & Music
Aggression and vulnerability blend in the trios' fuzzy indie rock. Revealing their darkest thoughts opens up a space of hope.
Mary Kouyoumdjian about Directions in Contemporary Composition
The Armenian diaspora continues to influence Kouyoumdjian's work. And yet, her ingenious use of field recordings roots her documentarian approach to the present.
Denis Blackham about his Life in Mastering
From Kraftwerk and Cabaret Voltaire via Eric Clapton and Depeche Mode to OMD and Black Sabbath - Denis Blackham's masterings have made the world of music a better one.
Nite Kite about Directions in Jazz
From Protection-era Massive Attack via modular-synth-fantasies to stripped-down melancholia, Nite Kite is exploring personality over progress.
Nickolas Mohanna about Energy & Music
Energy is an inspiring potential in the crushingly beautiful feedback anthems of Mohanna. It needs to stay untethered by the egomaniacal creatures of the world.
TC:KYLIE about Directions in Jazz
Hong Kong’s Cantopop is a joyful fusion of Eastern and Western influences. Now, TC:KYLIE adds jazz and historically charged soundscapes to the equation.
Simon Fisher Turner about the Magic of Sound
Even after five decades, Fisher Turner is still just "making it up."
Natasha Barrett about Directions in Electronic Music
Using 3D ambisonic microphones, Barrett's current acousmatic works listen towards the future: Are we headed for beauty or dystopia?
Veronica Burnuthian of Spinnen about Lyrics
Spinnen write edgy, from-the-dark-corners-of-the-basement drum-and-guitar post-punk anthems. The lyrics, however, imbue them with a “light that permeates the body.”
Kinan Azmeh about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Damascus and New York are the pillars of Kinan Azmeh's world. His intensely spiritual, ecstatically still music, however, is bound to no genre or place.
Nicole McCabe about Improvisation
Nicole McCabe is learning to relinquish control. Intruigingly, that's precisely how she regains it on the mysterious, surreal-in-a-beguiling-way analog-synth jazz of her latest album.
Takuro Okada about the Magic of Sound(s)
Ambient guitarist Takuro Okada wants to play as if he were looking at water and grasping a cloud.
Markus Mehr about Spaces of Possibility and Gateways for the Senses
Mehr's immersive installation SUPRA may sound enchanting. But its themes are serious: Unless we take action, we are headed for epochal changes.
Alexandra Dariescu about Interpretation
If inspiration hits, the Romanian pianist can spend months diving into a composer's letters, and life story. Music is living and breathing – a dialogue with the past.
Kenji "Jino" Hino (Spiral Deluxe) about Directions in Jazz
Miles Davis made Hino realise jazz is the ultimate form of music: Ageless, colourless, cool, sexy, sad, chaotic and funky like hell.
Messer about Energy & Music
The post-punk band's new release captures them at their most raw and intense: Sounds cutting like knives, words turning to swords.
Harald Walkate about Composing for Photos and Making Music Visual
Inspired by mysterious photos by nanny photographer Vivian Maier, Harald Walkate imagines the narrative beyond the frame.
Joona Toivanen about Improvisation
Tapping into sampling and working with experimental performance approaches, Joona Toivanen still heads one of the most unique piano trios we know.
Fifteen Questions Interview with Raissa Febriani
First, Febriani spent time in the Indonesian forest. Then, she translated the inspiratio into stripped-down, bass-heavy percussion-funk.
Oh My Sun Share their Creative Process
The London duo's haunting songs carry the DNA of 70s psychedelic folk and dreamy soft rock – with just the right amount of “roughage.”
Biomania about Directions in Jazz
The French quintet shape their own vision of 21st century jazz, soul, and hip hop – seducing the mind, but keeping the body engaged.
Manuel Bienvenu about his Voice and Singing
“With the kind of tone I have, one bottle of Bourbon and two packs of cigarettes a day would probably help. But I am not that disciplined.”
Anna Thorvaldsdottir about Directions in Contemporary Composition
Thorvaldsdottir's new work feels like a journey to the heart of sound: A slow stream of tiny particles, intimate cascades and reverberations tending towards the infinite.
Paul van Dyk about Directions In Electronic Music
Much of today's popular dance music is a "deliberate rip-off of the past," according to van Dyk. But what is the solution?
Gaudenz Badrutt about the Magic of Sound(s)
Is the Swiss composer's new album a piece of ghostly resonances? A sculpture? Or is it just a space in which it exists as a sonic sculpture?
lisa tba: Can Sound Change the World?
Music can just be a tool for having a good time to lisa tba. But she also uses it to support causes such as migrant solidarity and feminist struggles.
Krajenski about Directions in Jazz
Lutz Krajenski's plays, collects, and restores Hammond organs. On his new album, he now fuses them with hiphop beats.
David Grubbs about the Magic of Sound(s)
Sound is almost all-important for David Grubbs. His new collection of "distorted poems" is intense testimony to that.
Fifteen Questions Interview with Petra Onderuf
The Tradition is to Break the Tradition: Petra Onderuf spices up jazz with Eastern European and Balkan influences.
Cyber Witch: Can Sound Change the World?
"My music reflects the challenges of the world I live in while expressing the values I hold dear. Music is not just an art form - it’s a tool for a better future."
Gabríel Ólafs about the Magic of Sound(s)
Gabríel Ólafs imagines what a world of ice would sound like – rejecting the notion that there could ever be too much reverb.
NIJI Shares his Creative Process
Blending Yoruba culture and spiritual jazz, NIJI's Oríkì is a passionate, pristinely produced piece of deep soul searching.
Benjamin Lackner about Art in the Face of War and the Importance of Titles
Haunting and quietly intense, pianist Benjamin Lackner's second album for ECM is a work of beauty slowly descending into darkness.
Mörmaid about Jazz, Improvisation, and Electronic Music
"I’ve always been drawn to music that has different degrees of weirdness to it."
Musina Ebobissé aka Blendreed about the Magic of Sound
The French jazz saxophonist sculpts glacially majestic soundscapes – creative antidotes to the vicious cycle of noise he's observing.
Scratch Massive about Minimalism
Experience and the search for essence have turned the French electro duo into architects of sound.
AŸA about Energy & Music
The Moroccan-Yemeni singer has a voice and an on-stage presence that takes her audience on a rollercoaster ride. It's a blessing and a responsibility.
s8jfou about Production, Technology, and Creativity
Inspired by an indelible Autechre performance and living alone in a mountain cabin, the French producer's music is pure exploration.
Russell Ferrante of Yellowjackets about Directions in Jazz
"Music can inspire, and bridge ethnic, religious, and political divides. As a musician and a composer, I want this to be my focus."
Lasse Winkler about Lyrics
In his late 20s and mesmerised by Berlin's 24/7 party life, the German songwriter didn't get anything done. It turned out to be the most creative time of his life.
Violeta García Shares her Creative Process
Recorded in an old underground water tank, Violeta García's new album was stolen, then returned – embarking on a journey of its own.
Sven Väth about DJing and his “Journey of Music, Magic, and Euphoria”
The legendary DJ looks back on 40 years behind the turntables - on the art of storytelling, the navigation between control and surrender.
Dennis Quin about Directions in Electronic Music
“The best way is to DJ like a producer and to produce like a DJ.“
Jessica Lauren about Directions in Jazz: Queer Jazz Edition
Lauren's outsider nature shines through in increasingly minimal, life-affirming jams - but she doesn't call herself a jazz musician anymore.
Ruckus Early Music about Interpretation
For their new album of baroque music, the ensemble found inspiration in Irish synth folk and Mariah Carey. Who cares what Handel would have thought?
Nina Garcia Shares her Creative Process
A tiny tool caught every tremor and every hesitation of Garcia's hand. Her new album is a work of of fragile, heartfelt guitar noise.
Ionzi: Can Sound Change the World?
For Iona Evans, sheer determination in the face of rejection and belief in the world you are creating are crucial.
Nicole Johänntgen about Directions in Jazz
Every improvisation is about the state of the world for saxophonist Nicole Johänntgen. It is also a “body language.”
Miramar about Lyrics
Miramar's bittersweet bolero anthems find endless fascination in the "human social experience" and the relationship between joy and pain.
Amy Rita about Energy & Music
The Swiss-Australian pianist-composer is looking for a healing energy – inspiring both reflection and action.
Keiichiro Shibuya about his AI Opera and Buddhist Insights on Technology
Shibuya's oeuvre questions the nature of death, offering a new romanticism through the eyes and ears of AI.
Laurie Torres: Can Sound Change the World?
“I strongly believe that community is key to fighting injustice. Music is one way to build communities.”
Dane Alderson of Yellowjackets about Directions in Jazz
"I use music and concerts as a way to forget about current events, worries or concerns."
Bon Entendeur about DJing
As masters of Back to Back DJing, the French duo are constantly in conversation through music.
Ralph Heidel about Directions in Jazz
Jazz-Ambient-Rap-Drone composer Ralph Heidel still “fucks up a lot.” But he's confident “the audience still knows what I’m trying to say.”
Selassie about Directions in Hip Hop
For the Ghanaian rapper, hip hop is a case of “either you're living it or you're watching it.”
Abel Selaocoe Shares his Creative Process
In the prayer-like realm of “Moya,” Selaocoe translates African musical languages to the cello.
Rafiq Bhatia about Improvisation
"Before we think too hard about freedom we should start by focusing on kindness."
Toribio about Directions in Jazz
In the spiritual jazz-house of the NYC multihyphenate, improvisation is a tool for tapping into the subconscious.
LESSSS about Energy & Music
“I feed off the audience's energy, and amplify it through the music. It’s a constant exchange.“
Jean Claude Vannier Shares his Creative Process
The legendary French composer and arranger (Serge Gainsbourg, Françoise Hardy) still writes music "like they did in the 17th century."
Hadiqa Kiani about her Voice and Singing
"I wanted every note to feel pure, unfiltered, and deeply authentic—a reflection of the soul and spirit of Qawwali."
Abdomen about the Magic of Sound(s)
The almost frighteningly intense noise-rock of the Dutch trio is inspired by a longing for the unexpected.
Ebba Åsman about Directions in Jazz
Improvisation is everywhere on Ebba Åsman's hip-hop-infused torch songs. But she doesn't need to sound like her jazz heroes to honour them.
Andorra: The Band Interview
The Danish fivepiece's magical, multi-facetted jazz is held together by friendship, laughs – as well as lots of coffee.
Emma Jean Thackray about her Voice and Singing
"I’m definitely revealing deep secrets and singing about uncomfortable truths."
Martina Bertoni about the Magic of Sound(s)
"Sound is one of society’s core expressions. It’s one of its identification marks."
Nathan Ott about Drumming
To Nathan Ott, drumming is a deeply sensory experience: Lighting will change how he plays, rhythm becomes melody, textures turn into grooves.
Joke Lanz and Thomas Rehnert about the Magic of Sound(s)
A conversation about “sucking music through the pores," becoming a sound field, and extreme sonic experiences.
Jung Latch about Directions in Electronic Music
“The process of DAW to Bandcamp to CDJ is starting to run out of mileage. Exploring new ways to present your work is going to be the fun part.“
Chris A. Cummings of Cici Arthur about Lyrics
With the trio Cici Arthur, Cummings connects with his inner world – and his experiences with the "shittier aspects of showbusiness."
Morgane Lhote (Stereolab) aka Hologram Teen about the Magic of Sound(s)
"I lost a fair amount of my top end hearing so I gravitate towards bassy sounds. It’s a physiological response at this point."
klingt.collective: The Band interview
"I like it, when we “tickle” each other with our music."
Bob Mintzer of Yellowjackets about Directions in Jazz
"All the great improvisors worked hard at a compositional approach to improvising."
Radic The Myth about Production, Technology, and Creativity
"If producion gets a lot more easy, it's gonna take the fun out of it."
Marta Finkelštein about Interpretation
"You have to live a very full life to channel something meaningful to the audience."
Jan Blomqvist about Production, Technology, and Creativity
From Blomqvist Sound to Blomqvist Archives
Aleksander Kostopoulos about the Magic of Sound
"I’m often moved by sounds where the organic meets the digital."
Lei Liang about Directions in Contemporary Composition
“I always test my music with my young son.“
Nubya Garcia: Can Sound Change the World?
"Music gives us the strength to stand together against anyone who’s trying to destroy inclusivity and freedoms."
Jules Reidy about the Magic of Sound(s)
"I live right by the S-Bahn and listen to that for hours. It’s kind of irritating and comforting at the same time."
Javier Rojo about Improvisation
"Reacting in the moment is like meeting someone for coffee—you’re not going to recite memorized stories."
Noémi Büchi about Production, Technology, and Creativity
"I only believe in variations on what already exists. But the range of variation is infinite."
Xin Lie: Can Sound Change the World?
"My own voice isn't loud enough to be heard. So I'll let the music speak through big speakers."
Fthmlss about the Magic of Sound(s)
"We tend to use our imaginations so much more when receiving information through sound."
The Delines about Lyrics
"A lot of my characters are doomed, sometimes by self-inflicted wounds."
Matthias Lindermayr about Collaboration
"I am drawn to collaborating with people who inspire me."
Masako Ohta about Collaboration
"How did we resolve disagreements? Just talk and play again."
Eiko Ishibashi Shares her Creative Process
"Each album has a different theme. On this album, the word “graveyard” was the theme.”
Close Counters about Production, Technology, and Creativity
"We like to bring technology to the forefront and play with it."
COLLIGNON about the Magic of Sound(s)
"A lot of architects overlook how their buildings sound."
Black Flower about Directions in Jazz
"Jazz has lost its meaning as a specific style. It’s a way of making music."
Topher Horn about Scoring for Film
"I like when the score is a little removed from what’s happening on screen."
Moses Yoofee Trio about Improvisation
"Ego is not about being the best. It just gives me a lot of self-awareness and self-confidence to be able to express myself."
Dardust about Minimalism
"Some of my music could be played by a child in their first year of piano study. There are so few notes, yet they say so much to me."
Anané about her Voice and Singing
"To sing is to convey a message from the soul - in any way the song calls for."
Øystein Skar about Directions in Contemporary Composition
“This album has been a quiet form of personal activism—a subtle response to the outside world.“
United Freedom Collective: Can Sound Change the World?
"We can’t just hide from it and hope it all works out."
AWKWARD i Shares his Creative Process
“Maybe I’m just trying to fill a void, an emptiness. It’s addictive magic.“
Terri Lyne Carrington about Drumming
“Drummers are natural leaders. They lead bands they play in even when it is not official.”
KALI Trio about Directions in Jazz
"In a time when developments tend to draw people apart, creating something as a democratic collective is, in itself, a political act."
Yaron Herman about Improvisation
“My daily work consists of expanding my toolbox - so I can move from any given idea to any other given idea.“
Michele Ducci about his Voice and Singing
"There is something in singing that makes humans similar to the wind, to birds, to the flow of water, to the falling of rain."
Ela Minus about DIA, Taste and Instinct
"I want to make anthems for the place I am from for the people that share my background."
Damon Locks about Lyrics
"I am always asking why things are so messed up? That topic is unfortunately always relevant."
A.M. Architect about Directions in Electronic Music
“Reimagining our songs in a nonlinear environment and creating a two-way interaction between ourselves and the audience is very exciting for us.“
Michael Jaeger about Directions in Jazz
"The owner of a jazz club told me that I should be careful that people still understood our music. But isn't the jazz club the right place for unbiased listening?"
Angelina Luzi about her Voice and Singing
"Singing should be accessible to everyone - not only ‘allowed’ to a few."
Evgeny Grinko about Minimalism
"I wanted to record the lids of 20-30 coffins slamming shut. The label and sound engineer refused to help me."
Frum about Lyrics
"Writing feels like a bridge between the seen and unseen, between what we feel and what we want to understand."
Sara Persico about the Magic of Sound(s)
"Once you start recognizing the physicality and spatiality of sound, it transforms the way you approach making music."
Helen Anahita Wilson and Merlyn Driver about Animal Music and Interspecies Communication
"The evolution of human music may go back to sex. This would bring the music of other species further inside our radius of understanding."
Andrey Sirotkin: Can Sound Change the World?
"I try to sublimate negative feelings via music. When I come to my family, my friends, my tribe, I won’t put these things on them."
Rosa Bordallo about Lyrics
"Poetry is like an incantation. Music is more like being possessed."
Thomas Lemmer about Dreamscapes, Acoustic Health, and the perfect Reverb
“My goal was to compose loop-based music that is calming and meditative but never dull.“
Cari Lekebusch about Directions in Electronic Music
“Maybe new developments will happen in the area of how to perform this type of music.“
Adam F about Colours, Career, and Re-Creating a Classic
"It’s incredible to think that something I created nearly three decades ago still resonates with people."
JESHI about Directions in Hip Hop
"Punk and Hip Hop stand for the same thing: breaking the rules and doing things your way."
The Necks about Bleed, Improvisation, and Recording
"I enjoy every single aspect of making a record. Except for actually doing a take!"
Joshua Idehen: The Barista Interview
"A great cup of coffee? Good beans, good grind, a summer day, a window, your new favourite song, and something to read."
Bernhard Living about Silence and Negative Space in Music
"My intentions for using silence are very different from those of John Cage."
François X about Directions in Electronic Music
“Avoiding trends and focusing on authenticity is key to taking electronic music into the future.“
W4RP Trio about Interpretation
"I’m still trying to figure out how to play things I learned as a child!"
TIKHET about Directions in Hip Hop
“Hip Hop is the largest and most comprehensive subculture that has ever existed.“
Tools of Creation: The Kora
For Seckou Keita, the Kora is a simple instrument channeling ancestry, secret techniques and storytelling.
Kenji Herbert about Directions in Jazz
"Being innovative and having a personal voice is part of the tradition. It isn't opposed to it."
Brunson about Minimalism
“If you only have 3 or 4 elements, but they are used deliberately, you can unravel the flavor layers the longer you play the track.“
Jakob Dinesen about Improvisation
“I don’t mind being a fool. Sometimes that's what allows real music to happen.“
Silvan Strauss about Drumming
“The conception that 4/4 is kind of the “normal“ thing is super unrealistic.”
Airod about Directions in Electronic Music
“Being an artist means offering a more or less unique experience that truly reflects who you are.“
Joshu about the Magic of Sound(s)
"Hands rubbing on a balloon is probably my worst sound in the world. Should be illegal."
Juanita Stein about Lyrics
"I’m obsessed with what it all means. Trying to understand and find deep appreciation in our total existence."
Joachim Spieth about Minimalism
"There is only one rule: does the music have an effect on me? Anything that doesn't fulfil this rule can go."
Vincent Dombrowski of Nordsnø Ensemble about Improvisation
“I normally am not loud and extreme. But I sometimes love to be that way whilst playing.“
David Allred about the Magic of Sound(s)
"I prefer a song that is poorly written, even intentionally bad, rather than a song that is trying to be good but is mediocre."
Tunng Share their Creative Process
“I consider myself lucky to have been part of it. Then I get the washing up done.“
Leonardo Pavkovic of MoonJune about Directions in Jazz
"I do not miss the past. I miss the future."
Daniel Blumberg about The Brutalist and Scoring for Film
"Scoring The Brutalist was a delicate dance between the dialogue, score and sound."
Slavek Kwi about Animal Sounds and Interspecies Communication
“All soundlifeforms are welcome! No tonal racism!“
Philip Samartzis about the Sounds of Antarctica and the Role of Art in Environmental Protection
"These are more than mere recordings. They are a narrative of a rapidly changing landscape."
Reinier Zonneveld about Directions in Electronic Music
“In Brazil I make my beats way more percussive. In China, the clap is the most important part in the groove rather than the kick.“
Martin Kohlstedt about Improvisation
“For my live album, I had to listen to 400 improvisations of myself.“
Kasiva Mutua and Christian Mohr Levisen about Intercultural Collaboration
"Christian's hurdy gurdy rhythm reminded me of the Agikuyu tribe from Central Kenya."
Fie Eike about the Magic of Sound(s)
"Some people live a whole life without ever really listening."
Éric Normand about Directions in Jazz
"I'd prefer a vision of diversity rather than merely showcasing the culture of rich civilizations."
Callum Smart about Violin Chatbots and the State of Classical Music
“I owe much of my ability to be caring toward others to learning the violin.“
Alec Orea about Directions in Jazz
"Barriers are an illusion. Audiences are ready for true art."
Sun Sone Shares his Creative Process
"You are not a machine which needs to endlessly churn out a ‘product.’ If you’ve only got one album in you that’s fine."
Ossi Raippalinna and Anna McLuckie about Intercultural Collaboration
"Intercultural collaborations push me to reinvent my role as a musician every single time."
Madison Margot about Lyrics
"I can feel thrown off if a random love song appears in the middle of a breakup album."
SYREETA about DJing
“I have never played the same set twice. I even used to never play the same track twice.“
Mattias De Craene about the Magic of Sound(s)
"One day, maybe soon, silence will become a luxury product."
Jérôme Sabbagh about Directions in Jazz
"Playing improvised music with honesty and integrity is an act of defiance in a society that values shallow things and encourages our worst instincts."
Félix Blume about Animal Sounds and Interspecies Communication
“The rustling of wind through trees, birdsong, and human voices are not separate elements. They're part of a cohesive soundscape.“
Damian Lazarus about Directions in Electronic Music
“My love of this music never subsides. I just have to wade through a lot of shit in order to find it.“
Yazz Ahmed about Heritage, Identity, and A Paradise In The Hold
"This album is a record of how my identity has been evolving."
Sula Bassana about Kraut & Krautrock
"People think that Krautrock must have a motorik beat. But there was so much more new and fresh stuff in Krautrock."
Denis Blackham about Mastering Kraftwerk, Mike Oldfield, and Vangelis
“Autobahn is still special to me.“
Bastien Keb about Directions in Hip Hop
“I respect artists who use their craft for the betterment of society. But my music is an escape, like a dream.“
Gregor Tresher about Production, Technology, and Creativity
"Controlling technology just with your mind sounds like the future. I guess we’re not so far away from that."
zzzahara about their Lyrics
"Most of the feedback I get is, “this song helped me with a breakup.” Sounds right to me."
Mark Wingfield about Directions in Jazz
"A lot of the things I hear in my head are unplayable."
Nikki Sheth about Animal Sounds and Interspecies Communication
“I have to go in without any expectations - I always seem to find something unexpected.“
Utopia Union about Kraut & Krautrock
"The motorik beat is not just a rhythm - it's a way of getting lost in the music."
Lauri Järvilehto about Lyrics
"Music is a form of communication. Sometimes you even communicate with yourself."
MM WORKS about Directions in Jazz
"The core idea of MM Works is the dynamic we get when playing together. That is hard to get online."
A. Blomqvist about the Magic of Sound(s)
"When my second daughter was born, I created all kinds of compositions to the rhythm of a heart beat monitor!"
Brunson about Intimacy Between Friends
"I have tables full of machines. I had so much stuff Tresor was kind of annoyed."
Cosimo Fiaschi about his Creative Process and Directions in Contemporary Composition
“I thrive and offer only sounds; nothing more, nothing less”.
Hiroshi Watanabe about the Magic of Sound(s)
"Music remains an irreplaceable and singular trance for me—a gateway to the fifth dimension."
