Charlie Bertsch / 31 May 2023

The Better 1990s

Bettie Serveert’s Palomine

As I stumbled into the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot, the world outside the window painfully bright, I suddenly heard the voice of Bettie Serveert’s Carol van Dijk in my head: “Down under lock and key/There’s a brain tag to every secret”. I just couldn’t figure out why.(...)

Charlie Bertsch / 05 Apr 2023

Turkish Future Past

Aşk, by Altin Gün

There are far worse things than sounding like a B-movie soundtrack from the 1970s. But when you combine that aesthetic with excellent musicianship and a willingness to experiment, the results are bound to bring pleasure.(...)

Washington didn't like them. Sukarno and Kim Il-Sung, 1965.
John Foster / 15 Jun 2020

American Killing Fields

Vincent Bevins’ The Jakarta Method

The short twentieth century, running from 1914 to 1989 is generally divided into two halves. The first, ending 1945, is the era of mass slaughter. (...)

Just say Nee. 2016 Ukraine referendum, Amsterdam.
Paul Simon / 25 Oct 2019

The Dutch Rehearsal

Russia and the Ukraine Referendum

When EU leaders declined to start the accession process for North Macedonia and Albania, it was French President Emmanuel Macron who was singled out as the spoiler. (...)