Feature Interviews

David Sterry talks about the new Real Life album “Sirens”

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After a long break between releases, Australian electronic band Real Life is back with a new album, Sirens. Though frontman David Sterry is the only original member, the new material successfully continues Real Life’s legacy while also keeping the sound modern. Best known for the 1983 synth-pop hit “Send Me An Angel,” Real Life also had chart and club success with such songs as “Catch Me I’m Falling” and “God Tonight.” From the 1990s on, their musical output became more sporadic but remained consistently strong.

Alexander Hacke and Danielle de Picciotto discuss their new hackedepicciotto album “The Current”

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“The Current” is the new album from hackedepicciotto, a collaboration between Alexander Hacke (Einsturzende Neubauten) and Danielle de Picciotto (Crime & The City Solution, co-founder of the Berlin Love Parade). Recorded over a short period in Blackpool, England, “The Current” sees the married duo bringing their combined musical talents into new directions. The sound is very experimental but tends to be more energetic and rhythmic than their past work together.

Jah Wobble interviewed about Invaders of the Heart, PiL and his long career

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Having first found acclaim as the original bassist of Public Image Limited, Jah Wobble has gone on to have a prolific solo career. He’s collaborated with artists such as Bill Lasswell, Dolores O’Riordan, and Sinead O’Connor, run independent record labels and worked with numerous musical styles. Wobble recently headed out on tour again with his project Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart.

Limahl talks about his career and new music

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The music of Limahl and his former band Kajagoogoo has recently received renewed interest thanks to TV soundtrack use, and now the UK-based singer is bringing listeners new music with a Christmas single. “London For Christmas” is a collaboration with Jon Nickoll celebrating Limahl’s love for the city and long-time desire to create a holiday song.

Vonavi interviewed about “Reflection”

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“Reflection” is the debut album from Ukrainian electronic producer and songwriter VONAVI (a.k.a. Andrei Ivanov). The music has a highly cinematic feel to it, so it comes as no surprise that Ivanov has a strong interest in film. He’s done commercial work, scored documentaries, and had songs featured in tv shows How To Get Away With Murder (“Sunburst”) and Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger (“Feel the Embrace”).

Cinema Cinema embrace improvisation with CCXMD

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New York-based experimental art-punk duo Cinema Cinema has always made unique music, but their newly released fifth album CCXMD is a radical departure from anything they’ve done before. Cousins Ev Gold (vocals/guitar) and Paul Claro (drums) teamed up with noted jazz musician Matt Darriau to record an entirely improvised set of material that was then edited down to an album. The result is atmospheric, noisy, and chaotic, and it sounds like nothing else.

Danny Elfman interviewed about “Boingo,” the final Oingo Boingo studio album

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Conducted around the 1994 Boingo album, the following is an interview with Danny Elfman that has never before been published in its entirety. Boingo was not just the title of the album; Oingo Boingo had actually shortened their name to that. Musically, it was somewhat of a departure for them. The songs were longer and … Read more

Emily Capell talks about her debut album, “Combat Frock”

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Having put out three EPs previously, North West Londoner Emily Capell has now released her debut full-length album, “Combat Frock.” The title is an obvious nod to The Clash, one of Capell’s favorite bands, and is just one example of the singer/songwriter creatively referencing the music she loves. Influences of ska, indie rock, pop, punk, and other styles are apparent on Combat Frock, and they combine to make the perfect foundation of Capell’s witty lyrics and catchy vocal melodies. Capell is currently opening for The Selecter on their 40th Anniversary tour.

Imani Coppola talks about her DIY approach to making “The Protagonist”

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Imani Coppola’s recently released “The Protagonist” (Ipecac Recordings) is impossible to nail down to a particular genre. Throughout the album, Coppola flawlessly jumps between styles including rock, R&B, punk, and even country. But the end result is absolutely cohesive, thanks to Coppola’s own production and dedication to creating the perfect tracklisting order.

Azam Ali embraces electronic music and draws upon early influences for “Phantoms”

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With her new solo album, “Phantoms,” Azam Ali fully embraces electronic music and draws upon early influences previously not apparent in her music. Ali has been known as a world music artist with five previous solo albums and for her work with Niyas and VAS. But the intricately arranged electronic compositions on “Phantoms” bring to mind the music of bands like Cocteau Twins, Massive Attack, and Portishead. Ali even covers Cocteau Twins with a reimagining of “Shallow Than Halo.”