Guest Author

The German-Filipino singer and musician Ray Lozano just released her debut album "Pairing Mode". It is a collection of polaroids, or short stories, about being alone, longing, and belonging. Raised in Cologne between two cultural identities, Ray found a home in the music of Jill Scott. In her guest article, she writes about the influence of the RnB singer on her younger self, and how it continues to shape her until today.

The now New York-based folk artist Fenne Lily is back with her third record and while her tender acoustic aura hasn’t changed a bit, her latest full-length is more honest and authentic than ever, grappling the essence of this thing called love with new intensity and sincerity. In a matter of looking back at each song from first to last, these are her thoughts on how this album was conceived.

Ever wondered what your favourite artists were listening to this year? Well, we were and decided to catch up with the acts we interviewed this year and asked them about their 2022 highlights. Make sure you check out the recommended records and tunes and, if you like, revisit our feature stories with the artists.

"It was a CD I think, the first time I seen the cover. A dark, burnt orange background with a shirtless Al in the middle, half smiling staring straight through the barrel of the camera. Al Green’s Greatest Hits." Self-taught musician and singer Joesef sat down to muse on one of his favorite records. Following the release of his latest single "East End Coast" his love for Al Green explains the soulful touches on the single dedicated to the sense of belonging he experiences in his hometown Glasgow.

Just a few weeks back, ambient folk artist Will Samson released "Active Imagination", a beacon of calming and meditative bliss. Reflecting on the surrounding themes of the record, the musician opens up on the matter of national identity, belonging and the feeling of being in between in this very personal guest article.

Soft Drug are the litte red pill that invites listeners on an eye-opening trip - not just musically. Targeting topics like depression, accepting weakness, and toxic masculinity the RnB/Pop trio uses music as a tool to dissect gender-based discrimination in society and the music industry. Ahead of the release of their debut EP "Easy", band member Sascha reflects on his experiences with expectations of masculinity and the track "Man Up" released in April.

The fast-paced music industry has brought about many trends, but an album only available for a period of ten days should be something quite surprising, even under the still-tormenting impact of the Corona pandemic. To accompany the short life of the sophomore release of Jan Kerscher alias Like Lovers, we asked the artist to gather his thoughts on each track, followed by a final reflection on day 11. Read the continuing diary right here.

As the beloved Brit-Pop trio is about to finally release their fourth LP "The Dream", we invited Alt-J keyboarder Gus Unger-Hamilton to share some reflections on his favourite record yet. Celebrating the Kings Of Leon shortly before they went stadium-rock superstars, the musician strongly roots for the 2004 sophomore record "Aha Shake Heartbreak" and kindly shares the advice of giving records more than one superficial listen.