Author Archives
GEN F: The xx
The xx burn with the lovely pain of youth. Their debut xx—so named to celebrate the band’s members all turning 20 this year—is sparse but unsimple, haunted but hopeful. Every crafted sound drops with the … read more »
GEN F: Joy Orbison
One night, Peter O’Grady played one of his tracks for a friend. They’d been discussing auditory-visual synesthesia, a phenomenon in which people see colors as a response to sound. “This one is kind of a … read more »
Dollars to Pounds: Drop/Dead
Six months ago I was doing much the same as I am now (currently in bed with a laptop on my chest, writing stuff, spilling coffee down myself, it is 3pm), but it was about … read more »
Exclusive: Jessie Ware and Sampha’s Valentines Day FADER Mix MP3
When I’m alone in my room, sometimes I stare at the wall, and in the back of my mind I hear my conscience call, telling me I need a girl who’s as sweet as a … read more »
Dollars to Pounds: Star Slinger
On this day, five years ago, J Dilla passed away, aged 32. I interview a lot of bands for Dollars to Pounds and his name crops up more than any other. There’s a whole generation … read more »
Dollars To Pounds: Stopmakingme
Back in 2008 I interviewed London DJ extraordinaire Erol Alkan for FADER 58. He told me one of the things he is most proud of is all of the bands and creative ventures that began … read more »
Dollars To Pounds: Eagulls
Note to bands: record a raging cover of The Wipers and I will write about you. Eagulls are from Leeds and play loud, brash and snotty. Like D2P alumni Yuck, they take their cues from … read more »
Dollars To Pounds: Prizes
Usually it’s a bit boring to ask bands about their influences, but Londoner Hari Ashurst has a nice way with words so this week’s Dollars To Pounds contains Obvious Questions, but also Good Answers. Hari’s … read more »
Video: Young L, “Conscious Minds”
Tyler, the Creator shouting out Gorilla Vs. Bear on Twitter. Lil B sampling Ariel Pink and Salem on his Red Flame mixtape. While hip hop’s old guard continue to mine deep for decade-old beats, the … read more »
Dollars To Pounds: Waskerley Way
Not long ago I made a podcast tribute to Ariel Pink. I arranged for a load of awesome bands to record covers or remixes of his songs, then played them and talked rubbish over the … read more »
