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25 SONGS THAT TELL US WHERE MUSIC IS GOING

The New York Times Magazine

Last year, The New York Times published their impressive 25 Songs That Tell Us Where Music is Going article as “a one-time spectacular.” Now it appears that the epic feature is back by popular demand. Having commissioned some of the best music writers around, this year’s list includes thoughtful essays on era-defining tracks by the likes of Adele, Lil Yachty, Mitski, Mica Levi and Oliver Coates, Arianna Grande, Future, Leonard Cohen and A Tribe Called Quest. Beautiful photography too. Take a look.

EX.344: Gosia Płysa / Unsound Festival

Resident Advisor

Resident Advisor speak to of Unsound executive director Gosia Płysa about the event’s progression from a DIY get-together to one of the world’s foremost leftfield music and arts festivals. Speaking with music journalist Lisa Blanning, Płysa shares her thoughts on the realities of being a woman in music and the finer details of running an event which has made such an indelible impact on the electronic music ecosystem.

The Secret Science of Pop

BBC

Evolutionary biologist Prof. Armand Leroi flexes some serious data science muscle in a bid to find the formula of pop. Mulching the last sixty years of hits down into room-size matrixes and dynamic graphs – and the odd Beatles diss – Leroi then teams with producer Trevor Horn to craft a hit. Horn, as you might expect, performs dubiousness as if his career depended on it and the moment they download royalty-free raps off the internet is, perhaps, a true low point in the long and honourable history of scientific empiricism. Watch it here.

Crack Mix 139: Equiknoxx

Crack Magazine

Why fritter away all of your pennies on a night out when you can just stay in and put on a mix that will give you the illusion, the (Friday) feeling, of going out? Stay in and pretend with Crack’s mix this week delivering you the Kingston-via-Manchester Equiknoxx dancehall experience. It’s flame-emoji (x5) hot.

In Conversation: David Letterman

New York Magazine

Re-emerging from retirement with the kind of beard that only comes with more free time and less public contact, David Letterman sits down with the New York Magazine for a conversation about the state of Late Night TV, blackmailing, the new President and the average daily agenda for a man with no commitments.Thrillingly, the conversation largely consists of what seem like “bits” Letterman has been waiting to launch ever since the credits rolled on his show. It’s a strangely uplifting read.

Donna Leake 07/03/17

NTS Radio

We’ve been hooked on Donna Leake’s joyful selections ever since catching her on Boiler Room back in October. The set may have ignited fierce debate in the chatroom but Leake – a music programmer at London’s Brilliant Corners – exudes a classiness that transcends keyboard warriors, her passion audible as she slinks through and jazz, soul, afrobeat and all manner of astral-facing, psychedelic sounds.

Mac DeMarco plays 'This Old Dog' at a dog grooming salon

Crack Magazine

“You may be asking yourself: why? Why is Mac DeMarco at Groom Dog City? Why?” Good question, Mac. At Crack, instead of asking the ever-existential ‘why’, we ask: why not? Why not take the metaphorical and make it so literal until it’s just literally amazing? What more could you possibly want from a video of Mac DeMarco playing This Old Dog accompanied by… well,  two beautifully, freshly trimmed dogs? Watch our video above of Mac Demarco with Foxton and Tilly doing just that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Inside the Heads of People Who Don't Like Music

The Atlantic

Imagine being unmoved by music. It sounds pretty awful, right? The Atlantic explore the nature of musical anhedonia – the condition that renders music as nothing more than a boring distraction. By looking at the research carried out into how we respond to musical stimulation fascinating conclusions are drawn into reward systems. Did you know that research suggests that people prone to goosebumps while listening to music tended to be more open to new experiences? And, by the way, musical anhedonia is definitely not awful. The people who have it just want you to stop going on about that new band you discovered last week. Read the piece here.

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