Buzzing with Zen — Steve Holtje's Improvisational Honeymoon
The ESP-Disk label manager found liberation from classical composition anxiety through distorted trombone and Phantom Honeymoon, his noise duo with theremin player Alexandra Beneski.
The Black Watch's Twenty-Fifth Album Asks the World of You
John Andrew Fredrick discusses The Black Watch's album 'For All The World,' how broken bones shaped his solitude, and why making demands of listeners remains essential to meaningful art.
Fragments of Revelation — A Lost Conversation with Matthew Shipp & Ivo Perelman
A technical failure erased the interview, but the spiritual dimensions of 'Armageddon Flower,' Shipp and Perelman's forty-sixth collaboration together, prove more durable than digital memory.
Words That Float — Ingrid Laubrock Discovers Music Inside Koans
The saxophonist and composer transforms Erica Hunt's enigmatic fragments into 'Purposing the Air,' a double album that pairs poetry with four carefully chosen vocal-instrumental duos.
A Tidal Wave of Love — Our Tribute to Brian Wilson
Behind the California sunshine, harmonies, and groundbreaking production techniques lies a complex artist battling inner demons. Three takes on why Brian Wilson's music remains a refuge for so many.
Going Gonzo — The Complicated Work of Hunter S. Thompson
Kevin J. Hayes's 'Understanding Hunter S. Thompson' challenges the romantic narrative surrounding the Gonzo pioneer, revealing uncomfortable truths about talent squandered and assignments abandoned.
Kinan Azmeh Takes the Sound of Syria's Streets on a World Tour
The Damascus-born clarinetist discusses his philosophy of musical freedom, the power of long-term collaboration, and how his latest release, 'Live in Berlin,' captures nearly two decades of creative partnership with his CityBand quartet.
Noise Deployed — Arthur Arsenne and the Art of Texture
The French multi-instrumentalist discusses his path from Pat Metheny's harsh noise to creating "sonic mille-feuilles" with Toru, exploring modular synthesis, and running his Arsenic Solaris label.
Disappearing Act — Tal Yahalom's Generous Guitar Moves
The composer behind 'Mirror Image' talks about challenging guitar-hero expectations, finding inspiration in Argentine rhythms, and why the best band leaders sometimes disappear into the music.
For Stefan Hegerat the Song Never Remains the Same
The stef.in mastermind talks about his latest album 'Icterus II,' why he's against Spotify, and how Toronto's underground scene shaped his genre-defying approach to composition.
Claire Cope's 'Every Journey' and the Women Who Dared to Explore
The pianist-turned-composer discusses her philosophical views on improvisation, the challenges of writing for larger ensembles, and the inspiring tales of extraordinary female explorers.
From Elaste to Compost Records — Michael Reinboth's Hybrid Esthetics
From launching Elaste magazine during the cultural upheaval of the early 1980s to celebrating 30 years of his stubbornly independent label Compost, Munich's musical visionary opens up about hybrid sounds, Detroit connections, and the art of musical fertilization.