Rotterdam-based artist Marinka Stam established the musical project Kalulu in 2016. Since then, she has collaborated with other artists to make divine electronic pop that neither gets too commercial nor too obscure. Instead, Stam’s music bounces along with an alluringly intellectual gait, underpinned by thoughtful production and polished songwriting. HerContinue Reading
The recently released trailer for the Tetris movie led me down a wikihole where I landed upon “The Tetris Effect”. The Tetris effect is when you engage in a game for an extended period, and the logic of the game world follows you into the real one. So, for example,Continue Reading
For many people, the 1984 movie Amadeus is the first point of reference for the world of classical music, bringing a dramatic and character-fueled aspect to the otherwise intimidating wall of pretence and demanding music. The success of that movie is down to memorable scenes, one of which involves an emperor summarizingContinue Reading
Maybe songs don’t need to be about anything to be about something. This seems to be the case for the pieces of Sam Himself, a musical project led by Swiss-born NY implant Sam Koechlin. His painfully cool vocal delivery is low in the mix and used to perfume odourless lyrics,Continue Reading
The sociologist Margee Kerr has the most incredible job title in the world; fear scientist. Through her research of fear at the University of Pittsburgh, Kerr has found that scary scenes, such as those in horror movies, trigger our flight-or-fight response, offering a free dose of adrenaline. This explains whyContinue Reading
Embracing who we are in a world that rewards cookie-cutter copies of the herd is one of the significant challenges of adulthood. However, accepting and coming to love our shortcomings is one of the greatest pleasures awaiting those brave enough to ignore the status quo. Someone aware of this factContinue Reading
Surely 2023 will see the tail end of lockdown albums. By now, artists have had ample time to give their quarantined expressions the right amount of reverb. However, The Waeve come washing in with a testament to the artistic possibilities that arise from a world in turmoil. A duo comprisingContinue Reading
While the accordion’s origins can be traced back to 19th century Berlin, their use by cultures throughout the globe is a testament to their unique lure and dynamic capabilities. While it is played in pubs from Czechia to Scotland, it also has an intrinsic cultural status in Brazil and Colombia.Continue Reading
Australian indie collective Pocket Fox have been disseminating tightly-knit and cosy indie folk since their self-titled EP was released in 2011. The eight songs on their recent album “Birch Leaves” rotate between camp-fire sing-alongs and more downtempo adult contemporary. Most notably, the group operate on a theatrical form of folkContinue Reading
You are likely to have found this article based on an algorithm. Ubiquitous in our digital world, algorithms power everything from our entertainment to the administration of our lives and societies. But at what point does automation begin to dictate our choices or, even worse, freedom? Milwaukeean producer Thane exploresContinue Reading