Sam Austins: “That viral moment saved my life”

Sam Austins’ rise hasn’t been straightforward. A period of houselessness followed his isolated teenage years, while label rejection forced a rethink – hardships that have shaped the contours of his uncompromising avant-pop. Then, ‘Seasons’ went viral – and a new chapter was written.

james K is hopping between soundworlds with curiosity and precision

Inspired by the communality of the club,  james K’s vision of connection coalesces on her latest album ‘Friend’ – a pop-forward hybrid evoking both nostalgia and futurism.

Jeshi: “Sometimes physically removing yourself from your bubble helps you gain clarity”

The UK rapper swaps east London for leafy Richmond Park for a sampling session.

Montréal hip-hop trio Planet Giza are keeping it real

The trio are tapping into personal experience and the lesser-spotted influence of early 2000s rap-R&B link-ups to create something timeless.

Tracey make anxious anthems for the post-afters bus ride

The anonymous London collective’s genre mashing sound is a vehicle for their observations on sex, shame and doormats.

Noname: Speaking Truth

Since releasing ‘Sundial’ in 2023, Noname has poured her energy into two projects that reflect the spirit of her political views: Noname Book Club and Radical Hood Library. With these outlets for her values, her music is swapping theory for something more human.

How jazz-punk quartet Maruja prevailed in spite of their surroundings

On their debut album, ‘Pain to Power’, Manchester-based band Maruja channels political rage into a stirring call for sincerity, solidarity and collective hope.

Annahstasia is ready to grow into the artist she was always meant to be

After spending her twenties travelling the world and having her career dictated by others, Nigerian-American singer-songwriter Annahstasia is finding her truest form as an artist on her new album, ‘Tether’ – in the city she has always called home.

Pavements director Alex Ross Perry on portraying the band’s chaos and contradictions

With its blurring of documentary, fiction and musical film genres, ‘Pavements’ is a conceptual counter to bland rock docs and legacy biopics – and nearly as contradictory as the band it celebrates.

DJ Haram is channelling her fury at the state of everything into a hypnotic debut album

After a decade spent confounding expectations, New York-based producer and Moor Mother collaborator DJ Haram shifts course once again on her debut album, ‘Beside Myself’.

ABUL3EES captures the realities of everyday life in occupied Palestine

ABUL3EES is documenting the details of daily life through introspective tracks shaped by Arabic hip-hop, his local scene, and the full spectrum of American rap.

Stefan Christoff: “Media is not just about speaking to an imaginary audience, it’s movement-building”

Stefan Christoff is a journalist, musician and activist who contributes numerous programmes to Radio alHara. He advocates for using art as a tool for opening people’s minds.

Soundcamp digs into the idea of “noise” as a form of solidarity

The artist cooperative explores ideas of shared listening and communality through DIY broadcasts of environmental sound – including field recordings from protests and demonstrations.

24hrs/Palestine is building a global network for collective action and resistance

The anti-imperialist, anti-colonial “global radio action” 24hrs/Palestine strives to demonstrate the interconnectedness of political struggles throughout the world.

Radio alHara: Loud and Clear

Born out of boredom during the first lockdown, Palestinian online station Radio alHara has come to symbolise defiance and hope amid the unimaginable horrors of the Gazan genocide, giving voice to creative resistance in Palestine and across the world.

The story of bubbling house: how a group of teenagers shaped a genre and never got their dues

The sound of one of the Netherlands’ only homegrown diasporic genres blew up clubs without ever troubling the mainstream. Now, its pioneers are finally getting their dues.