Reviews & Interviews

Six questions for... Grimes

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW. Grimes, aka 24-year-old Montreal-ite Claire Boucher isn’t afraid to show off her more mainstream influences. She echoes through Berghain on Friday, May 25.

Raw food for thought: Andre Williams

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW. Starting with his run as a singer in mid-1950s Detroit, the history of Williams might well be considered the story of rhythm and blues.

Shit Bushwick says: Friends

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW. The five-piece’s post-1980s disco-pop fuses R&B wet dream-dripped synth, solid rhythms and earworm hooks with babes and super QTs in top knots. They kiss Bi Nuu, April 25.

A chat with... Pelican's Bryan Herweg

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW! Bassist Herweg on Grayson Currin, electronic influences, and making it up as they go along. They release their new EP Ataraxia/Taraxis on Friday, April 20, and play Cassiopeia the same night.

A few questions for Patrick Watson

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW. Californian army brat Patrick Watson on his cinematic singer-songwriting and the true-ish life stories behind some of them. Witness for yourself on Friday, April 20 at the atmospheric Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche.

Beloved of Berlin: Ellen Allien

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:00:00 GMT

FROM THE ARCHIVES. BPitch Control was founded in 1999; 13 years later, label head and dynamic DJ Allien's is still as much of a Berlin institution as currywurst. Catch up with her at Watergate, Apr 28.

You Play For Us Today: Lutz “Lüül” Ulbrich

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW. Even among Krautrock acts, psych-rockers Agitation Free stand out as pretty weird. Briefly reunited, the avant-garde aficionados are live at Postbahnhof, Mar 20.

Nine questions for... We Have Band

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 08:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW: Pop threesome We Have Band speak to Exberliner about their latest album Ternion, the art of sharing and their love for Grizzly Bear. Catch them live on Sat, Mar 17 at Gretchen.

Sticks rekindled: Stuart A. Staples of Tindersticks

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

INTERVIEW. After having reconvened in a somewhat altered shape, Tindersticks and their frontman Stuart A. Staples may be the closest the English have come to the French tradition of melancholic pop.

Occupy Pitchfork: Tune-Yards interview

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Garbus has added critical kudos to a cult following with her sonic junkyard tour through pop, reggae, dub and world beats. Tune-Yards roar Festsaal Kreuzberg on Feb 28.

Alex Zhang Hungtai: Dirty Beaches interview

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Having spent a large part of his life adrift, Alex Zhang Hungtai has hit 30 and found his place amongst the lo-fi elite as Dirty Beaches. He shows up at KaterHolzig on February 25.

Lee "Scratch" Perry: Super furry animal

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

FROM THE ARCHIVES. Master of the Black Ark, Perry may be moving from dub to dubstep but all the better to trample your soul underfoot along with digital disciple Mad Professor.

A chat with Mastodon

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

The sludgecore veterans return with a new record, The Hunter, with drummer Brann Dailor taking on an increased role, even singing lead on a track on their latest offering. They’ll be slogging through C-Club on Tue, Jan 31.

Still on the hunt: Duran Duran's Roger Taylor

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

With Mark Ronson producing All You Need Is Now and a video in which the band is played by top supermodels, the catsuits are back and begin their unzipping Tue, Jan 31 at C-Halle.

Top 10 records: 2011

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

2011 was dominated by the ubiquity of Kanye and the persistency of “Friday”; it’s no wonder, then, that D. Strauss was generally drawn to records in which moody ambiguity cloaked personality.