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When Haitao Yang was shot in the head, it brought him to within touching distance of death, an experience that has profoundly influenced his music ever since, but he's not alone. Jak Hutchcraft investigates the bizarre and sometimes disturbing world of music and the near death experience. With thanks to Daniel Hall
Squarepusher's new album is a palate-cleansing summary of work to date displaying an admirable breadth of technique with some amazing peaks, says John Doran, but as a continuity LP it points more clearly to a crisis in criticism rather than IDM
The sixth record from Julia Holter is a layered and heartfelt exploration of the sublime everyday. Ahead of her performance at Rewire Festival next month, she talks to Skye Butchard about its difficult creation, parallel soundtrack projects, and the attention economy in the streaming era
A year after their gloriously nightmarish session for BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction, the two improvisers are finally sharing the recordings that didn’t make the airwaves... and taking their blistering show on the road. They speak to Alastair Shuttleworth about birdsong, fear, and their new audio-visual shows backed by the Outlands Network
Lynks takes Bella Spratley through his journey from a Bristol basement party dressed in binbags and rubber gloves to next month’s dizzying debut album Abomination, and talks fluidity, anger, representation and more. Photos by Mars Washington
Jane Savidge was the co-founder and head of public relations company Savage & Best who looked after Pulp during their late 90s pomp. In an exclusive extract from her new book for Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 series, she picks apart the tricky sexual politics of the group’s notorious cover art for *This is Hardcore*
Back in 1974, Richard Pinhas’ Heldon took musical inspiration from Eno and Fripp in order to become France’s Buzzcocks and Throbbing Gristle all rolled into one. The country’s first modern DIY group laid the foundations for electronic music outside of the snobbery of academia and the restrictive practices of the French music industry, says Jeremy Allen
Lankum’s Ian Lynch speaks to Patrick Clarke about his solo project One Leg One Eye, how debut album …And Take The Black Worm With Me helped him through a period of personal turmoil, why Lankum’s Mercury nomination made him feel “dirty”, and his return to Supersonic Festival this summer
Ghetto blasting synth punk in Rugby. Lending pyjamas to Mogwai. Writing to Nick Drake’s sister. Finding psychology theory in music. Pranked by Robin Guthrie. Rocket Girl Records label head Vinita Joshi takes Will McCartney through the 13 records that have shaped her life