Music
Footwork Japan: Dance battling in the Land of the Rising Sun
D.A.N.C.E. — Dance music has just jumped way off the hook, thanks to the madcap rhythms of Footwork and Juke. From the rough-and-tough projects of Chicago’s West Side to the pristine streets of Tokyo, Footworking dance battles are suddenly where it’s at. Just ask DJ Fulltono – the sub-genre’s number-one Japanese fan.
Written by: Furutono Koichi aka DJ Fulltono
The Flaming Lips: A weird-ass story of self-discovery
Cosmic hippy shit — As champions of in-person experience, the Flaming Lips keep finding freaky ways to battle convention and bring people together. But even when the shit hits the fan, and the internet bites back, nothing can spoil their party.
Written by: Cian Traynor
London's young Muslim rappers know the power of verse
Holy lyrics — Across Britain, a new generation of outspoken young rappers are interweaving Islam and hip hop to create a lyrical tapestry that’s all their own.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
Romare: The music savant behind one of 2016's best albums
Found sounds — Out in the real world, Archie Fairhurst is searching for border-defying sounds that can be transformed into something timeless.
Written by: Alex King
Tackling porn addiction: a musician speaks up
An artificial intimacy — For Jesse Mac Cormack, the world of online porn can be seductive in all the wrong ways: a source of disconnection that messes with your brain and alters expectations in the bedroom.
Written by: Cian Traynor
The art of timeless music photography
Can't stop, won't stop — An obsessive drive to document concerts has given Sacha Lecca unique insight into what makes live music special: chaos, intimacy and a creative force that will never be silenced.
Written by: Sacha Lecca
Gregory Alan Isakov: The indie folk singer building his own off-grid paradise
A rural utopia — Gregory Alan Isakov might be touring the world with his band, but back at home in Colorado his four-and-a-half-acre farm is a sustainable nirvana: growing vegetables, medical cannabis and a whole lot more.
Written by: Noora Ismail
The music video stripping back the Black British experience
Living in limbo — Brother Portrait lifts a veil on the Black British experience in this art-house music video exploring cultural identity.
Written by: Angel Lambo
In hip-hop Brother Ali found faith and identity
A unique perspective — Rapper Brother Ali discusses how hip hop allowed him to find a new faith, and how that faith is now his focus and drive.
Written by: Adam Woodward
The insurgency of Californian youth captured on film
Get schooled right — Behind the scenes at SST Records, producer and sound engineer Spot helped some of punk’s most iconic records spring to life. He’s worked with the likes of Black Flag, Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, Descendents, Misfits and Minor Threat. But it was an encounter with an unknown musician in the ’70s that ended up leaving the biggest mark. His new photobook, Sounds of Two Eyes Opening, captures the insurgency of his Californian youth – and the surfers, skateboarders and frontiersman punks who shaped his unique lens on life.
Written by: Spot