• An article on how to read a poem (or: how to listen to music?). “When we release ourselves from the need to boil the poem down to a single meaning or theme, the mind can move in a dreamlike, associative way. This associative movement in poetry can at first feel disorienting, but it is… Continue reading

• An article on the language of flavor. “I think of smell as being one of the least objective experiences. Smell enters us. And one of the great virtues of smell is that it is so far removed from language. That makes them difficult to describe, but it also means that we naturally come upon… Continue reading

• A short video on French artist and sculptor Pierre Soulages on his creative process and use of black paint. “It’s the light that is the real tool!”   • An article about hearing loss and volume at popular music shows. “If musicians and listeners are both suffering as a result of exposure to loud… Continue reading

• Electronic musician Aphex Twin speaks with ex Korg engineer Tatsuya Takahashi. “Of course us musicians always look at something new and we see if it does what we expect it to. And this is OK. But we shouldn’t overlook something before actually trying it out, try and get into the head of the designer first.… Continue reading

• An article about the myth of the chaotic creative. “Chandra thinks young artists often need permission to be organised before they can start to do anything about it. ‘I blame it on the Van Gogh biopic. Everyone has seen this trope of the dysfunctional genius so they almost feel like an impostor if they’re… Continue reading

• An article (and forthcoming 2018 book) on micromastery. “A micromastery is a self-contained unit of doing, complete in itself, but connected to a greater field. You can perfect that single thing or move on to bigger things – or you can do both. A micromastery is repeatable and has a successful payoff. It is… Continue reading

• An article about world music recordist David Lewiston (1929-2017). “His tireless search for undiluted indigenous music became more difficult with time and the incursion of electronic instruments. ‘Oh yes, a Tibetan nun and a synthesizer,’ he lamented to Roots World. ‘When I go to the Himalayas, which is an annual jaunt for me, I… Continue reading

• An article by John Colpitts about drumming instruction books. “The student musician’s lot is a lonely one. Often these books are your only companions, outside of occasional meetings with an instructor. You hunger for some kind of contact, some wisdom beyond the mind-numbing exercises. Sometimes it feels as if you’re only engaging with the slog… Continue reading

• An article about the effects of the MP3 compression format on music’s perceived emotional characteristics. “The results showed that MP3 compression strengthened neutral and negative emotional characteristics (things like Shy, Scary, Sad) and weakened positive emotional ones (like Happy, Romantic, Calm). Interestingly, the characteristic Anger was relatively unaffected. The study suggested that the background ‘growl’ added… Continue reading