How a bootleg download led SOPHIE to the instrument that would power her sonic world-building

In this excerpt from his new book, ‘Songs in the Key of MP3: The New Icons of the Internet Age’, Liam Inscoe-Jones unravels how SOPHIE discovered the device that would become her most beloved collaborator.

Lonnie Holley: “My legacy is showing people how to get over the hurdles”

Informed by a life beyond the imagination of most, outsider artist and musician Lonnie Holley has allowed intuition to guide his unflinching, often profound storytelling.

Bespoke sound system creators Friendly Pressure and Stone Island are teaming up for Milan Design Week

As he gears up for a Milan Design Week collaboration with Stone Island, Friendly Pressure founder Shivas Howard Brown talks formative sound system experiences and being part of a lineage of Black British music.

Purelink: Expanding Universe

As they ready their new album, ‘Faith’, the understated Chicago trio are learning that sometimes it’s the most unassuming voices that cut through the noise.

Maria Somerville’s Luster is a love letter to people and place

Inspired by her return to Connemara, a region rich in Irish history and myth, Maria Somerville’s second album is shaped its spirit, spacious landscape and seasonal pace.

Nabeel (نبيل) is seeking harmony between Iraqi culture and Virginia’s indie music scene

Merging college-rock influences with allusions to Iraqi heritage and musical traditions, Nabeel(نبيل)’s music is driven by both the preservation of culture and creating a new sound.

Sandwell District: Closing the Loop

Fifteen years after the release of their landmark debut, founders Regis and Function, encouraged by the late Silent Servant, have regrouped for one final album.

Nemzzz: If You Can Build It

At 20 years old, Manchester rapper Nemzzz has earned a seat at the top table of British rap.

Confidence in community: 10 Londoners on the impact of music charity YUAF

The Young Urban Arts Foundation provides accessible, vital spaces for young people to be empowered through music.

YHWH Nailgun: “I remember thinking: what would I like to see instead of this bullshit?”

On their algorithm-defying, white-knuckle-inducing debut album ’45 Pounds’, New Yorkers YHWH Nailgun are taking a stand against the uber ironic cool of late-2010s indie rock.

Ichiko Aoba’s Luminescent Creatures honours the interconnectedness of humankind and the natural world

‘Luminescent Creatures’ explores the innate connections humans have with both our surroundings and one another.

MCR-T knows what it is to be an insider and an outsider

The Live From Earth affiliate’s uncompromising, genre-mulching approach nods to Berlin’s countercultural legacy to create a sound that rejects tired clichés for something bracingly new.

“It’s about construction” – How Daniel Blumberg built the monumental score for The Brutalist

Composer Daniel Blumberg breaks down his creative process for ‘The Brutalist”s sweeping score.

Oklou: Love Sensation

On her breakthrough debut album, ‘Choke Enough’, Oklou is going offline to explore the dopamine-releasing rush of IRL experience and emotional intensity.

“If there isn’t a space for you, you create your own space with other people”: Richie Culver in conversation with Vanessa Carlos

Richie Culver and Vanessa Carlos discuss the freedom and restrictions that come with creating art on your own terms.

Camille Jansen’s dreamy sound goes everywhere, but it starts in Paris

The new-school shoegazer takes us on a trip around the 11th arrondissement of her home city.