Music
Mapping the squats, strip clubs and bars that launched punk
London Calling — Forty years after punk first 'posed a threat to normal life', writer and cultural historian Paul Gorman charts the sub-culture's hidden history within London and reveals why the city remains the capital of cool.
Written by: Cian Traynor
Bloody Chunks: Vietnam's underground metal scene
Fade to Black — Photographer Neil Massey captures a perfect marriage of brutal energy and hardcore fandom in Saigon's fiercest subculture.
Written by: Cian Traynor
A trip down memory lane with Kano, progenitor of a distinctly London sound
More than grime — He made a name for himself in East London’s grime community, but Kano carved out a long career by refusing to be defined by any genre.
Written by: Shelley Jones
Interview: Throwing Shade on why the label ‘World Music’ needs to die
“Just call it music” — Throwing Shade, aka Nabihah Iqbal, explains how her far-out, future-focussed electronic productions sit alongside Siberian throat singing and other obscure gems she plays on her highly-respected NTS Radio show.
Written by: Alex King
The Brussels teenagers defying cultural divisions
Terror, division, skateboarding and unity in Brussels — Links to the Paris attacks put Brussels at the centre of Europe’s debate on immigration, throwing up some heated questions. Is a lack of integration leading to radicalised teens? But at Les Ursulines skatepark a refreshing counterpoint is thriving, as kids from all backgrounds skate together in peace.
Written by: Alex King
In Pictures: Rare portraits from Wu-Tang Clan’s golden era
Icons of Wu — British photographer Eddie Otchere shot intimate portraits with every member of Wu-Tang Clan over a five year period when the group were at their creative peak.
Written by: Alex King
What Kesha's legal battle tells us about record label corruption
#FreeKesha — Pop star Kesha is trapped in a record contract with the man she alleges abused her, but it could potentially be the sort of scandal that radically alters an industry rotten at its core.
Written by: Adam White
Ash Shakur: the technicolour South London rapper bringing light to concrete jungle tales
‘Spring’ track premiere from Hare This EP — Rapper and illustrator Ash Shakur weaves wit, colour and upliftment into everything he does - from his radiant artwork to his soulful bars.
Written by: Alex King
Unearthing sounds from electronica's dark underground: an interview with christ.
Sublime imperfections — To coincide with a crowd-funded vinyl release of early experiments, musician Christopher Horne discusses the enduring grit of '90s electronica, standing apart from Boards of Canada and resisting computerised perfection.
Written by: Cian Traynor
Gilles Peterson documentary explores the pounding rumba beat of Cuba’s dancefloors
Rumba Sessions - La Clave — Musical explorer Gilles Peterson’s search for the perfect beat takes him to Cuba, where rooftop parties and impromptu jam sessions shake to the unmistakeable rhythms of Afro-Cuban rumba.
Written by: Alex King
