Lil’ Kim’s Hard Core was a defining moment for female sexual agency in hip-hop

Lil’ Kim’s ‘Hard Core’ left all inhibitions at the door

What Just Happened?

As the dust settles on a particularly turbulent decade, we’ve been in a reflective mood….

The Click: Bat for Lashes

In her own words, Natasha Khan remembers the Beat-inspired trip to America in 1999 that motivated her to pursue music seriously

M. T. Hadley is a Frank Ocean-endorsed enigma

We meet the singular songwriter and premiere the new video for breakout track Janet

20 Questions: Thurston Moore

After pioneering the new 80s punk movement as a part of Sonic Youth, Thurston Moore continues to experiment with the genre in his solo work – we get to know the living legend a little better.

Rising: vōx

Minnesota artist vōx talks her newfound spiritualism, church and the new EP I Am Not a God

Sleater-Kinney: Come out fighting

Galvanised by our fractious political era, the pioneering feminist band bristle with renewed urgency. We meet with Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss to talk politics, love and the #MeToo movement

Christina Aguilera’s Stripped was a watershed moment in 21st century pop

17 years after its release, we explore how Xtina’s Stripped gave pop an injection of fighting spirit and unapologetic raunchiness

Dean Davies’ new photo project, Manchester Girls, is a love letter to the north of England

We meet the image maker to talk northern identity, fashion and his upcoming photo book

Kano: Time will tell

Kano is a founding father of a British revolution, whose latest album is his defining work. But he’s not finished yet

6 artists at CRSSD Festival on the tracks they’ve been playing all summer

We caught up with Dr. Rubinstein, Ross From Friends, Anastasia Kristensen and more at the San Diego weekender

Rising: Oli XL

There’s an air of mystery surrounding every aspect of Oli XL

Planningtorock is still breaking boundaries

Twenty years since they moved to Berlin to pursue music, Planningtorock’s craft is still evolving

Freddie Gibbs and Madlib: A classic pairing

We invited Freddie Gibbs and Madlib to a well-stocked wine bar to discuss their new album, deconstruct their unique partnership and, of course, sample the wares

20 Questions: Lykke Li

Despite her current star status, Lykke Li doesn’t give too much away. We try to get to know her a little better in the month’s 20 Questions

How William Basinski’s masterpiece, The Disintegration Loops, captured a world crumbling around us in slow motion

Over 15 years after its original release, we take a look at how the ambient recordings confronted ideas of death and cyclical change