James Holden and Wacław Zimpel Surrender to the Sound
The British music producer and Polish clarinet virtuoso built 'The Universe Will Take Care of You' in four spontaneous London studio days, capturing the act of playing without thinking.
Clarinet Meets Circuit — Glenn Dickson and Bob Familiar's Unlikely Alliance
Two musicians from different worlds found common ground in their rejection of static electronic music. The result is 'All the Light of Our Sphere,' an album that treats improvisation as narrative and loops as living things.
That Old Pastoral Vocabulary
This week features thoughts on the eco-psychedelic, how glitches got sloppy, and why Alvin was immortalized for just sitting in a room. Plus a bevy of tasty recommendations you'll eat up like popcorn.
Bangs of Convenience — Gustavo Cortiñas Drums For Climate Action
The Mexican-born, Chicago-based drummer discusses his album 'The Crisis Knows No Borders,' his philosophy on small daily sacrifices, and why convenience keeps getting in the way of saving the world.
Objective Spiritual Facts
This week, grab hold of visual sounds, hauntological echoes, and 'intergenerational cohabitation' as we explore the recent exploits of The Tonearm. Links will be clicked.
Lost in the Hum — 'Versionland' and the Edge of Perception
Composer Jamie Hamilton collaborates with Phaedra Ensemble to turn internet-age mythology about an unexplained global drone into a "darkly humorous fever-dream" about collective hallucination.
Principle of Moments — Kim Perlak's Intuitive Guitar
From solo classical performances to improvisational duets with Francisco Mela, the guitarist explains how 'Spaces' became a study in musical presence and why being in the moment has become both her greatest challenge and her greatest gift.
Sound Crystals in Time-Lapse
Behold! Apocalyptic cover art, molecular music, and PVC pipe organs! These are but a few of the wonders found within this week's Talk Of The Tonearm newsletter.
The Going Gets Weird — Locrian Revisits 'The Crystal World'
As Locrian reissues their landmark album, Terence Hannum discusses the band's evolution from experimental duo to post-metal trio, his separation of visual art from music, and why heavy metal "rewards playing it safe."
Heed the Song of the Symphonic Frog
This week, we explore the sounds our peeper friends make, how to recontexutalize harmonica tension, and yet another excuse to add to your guitar collection. Also: a couple of delicious album recommendations.
From Soundribbons to Shoreline Symphonies — Knox Chandler's Creative Transformation
After four decades as a collaborator for artists like R.E.M. and Cyndi Lauper, the guitarist has retreated to rural Connecticut to create his first solo work and discover what he calls "my truth."
We Remain in the Mist-Space
This issue of your favorite Sunday newsletter explores the advantage of the ambiguous, the implications of microphone placement, the lure of bean-washing sounds, and the anarchist's trombone. Also: bicycles.