Charlie Bertsch / 07 Jun 2023
History in Service of Anarchism
Belgrado’s Intra Apogeum
If superficial nostalgia has an opposite, it’s Barcelona band Belgrado. (...)
Music
Alex Gendler / 03 Jun 2023
Aryan Aztlan
The Bizarre World of Aztec NSBM
When eight people were gunned down at a Texas outdoor mall in May by a guy with a swastika tattoo and a social media account full of racist rants, it seemed like a pretty clear-cut case of far-right terrorism.(...)
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 / 17 May 2023
The Great Revolt
Cease & Resist – Sonic Subversion & Anarcho Punk In The UK 1979-86
Cease & Resist - Sonic Subversion & Anarcho Punk In The UK 1979-86 takes us back to the heyday of anarcho-punk when DIY values were inextricably bound up with political statements.(...)
Charlie Bertsch / 05 May 2023
The Long 1980s
Molchat Doma in America
When Belorussian dark wave band Molchat Doma began to play their viral TikTok hit Судно at their recent Tucson, Arizona show, I looked out over the tightly packed crowd filling the floor in front of me and was struck by how happy and how diverse it was, from race to age to fashion.(...)
Henrietta Foster / 04 May 2023
Art Against Racism
Three London Shows
Last week was the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence. People of my generation wince with pain when his name is mentioned.(...)
Charlie Bertsch / 19 Apr 2023
Defying Stereotypes
Paul St. Hilaire’s Tikiman Vol. 1
Tikiman Vol.1 is a remarkable achievement. It demands to be played over and over and sounds better each time.(...)
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.(...)
Charlie Bertsch / 23 Mar 2023
All About the Heimat
Music as Politics in 1980s Germany
Teenagers were milling about. Bright colours shot off the portable mirror ball. The DJ stepped up to his console to cue the first track.(...)
Charlie Bertsch / 15 Mar 2023
Socialist Realism Done Right
Sleaford Mods’ UK Grim
If the UK had gone in a different direction over the past decade, if its leaders had remembered the people who slaved to make it great, Sleaford Mods might have become one of those novelty acts that disappear from view after a song or two.(...)