It is not hard to imagine French indie pop darlings Phoenix sitting in a room together. Ideas bubbling. Song sketches effortlessly turning into a bigger picture and the four longtime friends and (soul) brothers spending hours getting lost in the joy of playing music together. All while their music is doing the talking and a subconscious understanding kicks in. With their seventh album to date, Phoenix have returned with a refined and charming sound on "Alpha Zulu". A conversation about the value and stimulating effect of art, the privilege of recording inside a museum and the most rewarding moments of making music together after over two decades.
"Blackness is inherently punk", says musician and journalist Stephanie Phillips. As a member of the Londoner Black feminist punk band Big Joanie since 2013 and the collective Decolonise Fest, Phillips has extensive knowledge of the alternative music scene. We spoke to her about the book release of “We Were Here: A History of Black People & Alternative Music”.
