The Week

This week, Kikelomo speaks to Ryan C. Clarke of the Dweller festival and blog about their work centering and celebrating Black artists and perspectives. Plus: Weekend One of Coachella, a BPM ban in Chechnya, anti-LGBTQ laws in Georgia, and Earth Day initiatives from EarthPercent.Read the Dweller blogLearn more about EarthPercentThe Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: KikelomoProducer: Aaron Gonsher Editing and Sound Design: Marc ÜbelExecutive Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Otto Kent speaks to returning guest Christa Belle about the enigmatic and very viral DJ/producer HorsegiirL – and what her popularity tells us about the current dance music. Plus: An awkward encounter with Tyler the Creator, music courses on Spotify, a new lease for the long-running Berlin venue YAAM, and a new database dedicated to gender equality projects in the music industries.Read more GENIE (Gender Equality Networks in Europe)The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: Otto Kent Producer: Aaron Gonsher Editing and Sound Design: Marc ÜbelExecutive Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a queer, black, female artist working with everyone from Solange to PinkPantheress, Swarovski to Ferragamo, Kelela has been pushing boundaries on representation in music and fashion since the early 2010s. After disappearing from the public and taking an extended social media hiatus, Kelela reemerged in 2023 with the critically acclaimed album RAVEN. Her sound dances at the intersection of R&B and electronic dance music. However, her work remains unapologetic in the way it honors the black roots of club music and culture.In conversation with The Week host Kikelomo, Kelela dives into her approach of educating and reading, her RAVEN era, the possibility of building worlds and communities –and the importance of staying offline sometimes.  Follow Kelela on Instagram.  Find Kikelomo on Instagram. Check out Kelela’s Tiny Desk Concert and more of her music. Read the books “Blues People: Negro Music in White America” by Amiri Baraka, and “The Musical Human: A History of Life on Earth” by Michael Spitzer. And watch “The Last Angel of History” by John Akomfrah.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: Kikelomo Producer: Carlos SteurerEditing and Sound Design: Marc ÜbelExecutive Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Otto Kent speaks to the Berlin-based DJ and music producer Sarah Farina about her work with Chicago house vocalist Tish Bailey, and the frequent erasure of Black women from dance music history. What can be done to help change it? Plus: A new Beyoncé album, Wizkid disavows Afrobeats, YouTube introducing search by humming, and James Blake's new music platform.Read more about Tish Bailey's story.Support the GoFundMe campaign.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: Otto Kent Producer: Aaron Gonsher Editing and Sound Design: Marc ÜbelExecutive Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, UNESCO added Berlin techno culture to its list of "intangible cultural heritage." But what made Berlin eligible for this honor, how did it earn the recognition, and what impact does it actually have? Juba finds out more speaking to Ellen Dosch-Roeingh from Rave the Planet, the Berlin-based nonprofit that helped initiate and write the application to UNESCO. Plus: boycotts at SXSW, vinyl record sales affecting UK inflation, and a new venue opening in Amsterdam.Watch "Technokultur in Berlin", Rave the Planet's short film on the UNESCO application.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: Juba Producer: Aaron Gonsher Editing and Sound Design: Marc ÜbelExecutive Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Blake just went viral with a series of tweets about the state of the music industry, including one about artists not being able to live off streaming royalties. This isn’t news, we keep having the same discussion over and over again. Which leads us to the question: Does anyone actually care about streaming payouts? Juba joins OttO Kent in the studio to discuss this question. Plus: the Living Wage for Musicians Act, songs and sonics at the Oscars and Dig This – a new app to explore random genres.  Read the New York Times essay “In Oppenheimer and The Zone Of Interest We Hear What We Are”The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentProducer: Carlos SteurerEditing and Sound Design: Marc ÜbelExecutive Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s that time of the year again! OttO Kent invites two familiar faces to the studio to look back on everything 2023: Juba and Christa Belle. They talk about what to take into 2024 and what to leave behind: Bandcamp, BeReal, Dubstep, Fred again.., filming random people on the street? And of course they each crown their own personal record(s) of the year.Follow OttO Kent.Follow Juba.Follow Christa Belle.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentWriters for this episode: Helena Schmidt and Jacob SperberEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is there such a strong correlation between music and mental health? Our guest this week, Dr. George Musgrave, studies the psychological and working conditions of creative careers. The results turn out better for audiences than for artists. Plus: Retired detective becomes new nightlife mayor in New York and EU Parliament calls for new rules to regulate streaming.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher and Helena SchmidtEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow OttO Kent.Follow Electronic Beats.Follow Dr. George Musgrave.Listen to The North Quarter with Note.And here you can find the studies Dr. George Musgrave mentions in the interview: Largest ever study on musicians mental health in Scandinavia (2023):https://musiklivetspartnerskab.dk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Musgrave-Gross-Carney-2023-When-Music-Speaks-Part-1.pdfOn the paradox of music making being beneficial but a career being harmful (2023):https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09548963.2022.2058354?src=On the impact of career musicianship on relationships (2023):https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304422X23000025On the challenges of the musicians mental health landscape (2023):https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(23)00093-7/fulltextOn the role that definitions of ‘success’ play in wellbeing (2023):https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03057356221096506 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry Nuriev is an architect, a furniture designer, and an artist. He describes his approach as "transformism": creating new and exciting designs with what we already have, in contrast to producing something entirely new. Whether it is sofas made out of winnowed clothes, gamer chairs covered with lace, or a swimming pool tiled like a Photoshop transparency layer – with his company Crosby Studios, Nuriev finds beauty where no one else wants to look, transforming objects and spaces and incorporating the digital into the real world. OttO Kent and Harry Nuriev dive into the inspiration behind his work, where he’s coming from, and where he’s heading – as well as his view on MTV Cribs and old school RnB hits. Check out this tour through Harry Nuriev’s studio in Paris by the New York Times, as well as this feature by The Guardian. Listen to TLC and Chopin if you want to dive into Harry Nuriev’s playlist, or just put on your noise cancelling headphones and enjoy quiet time. Find OttO Kent on Instagram.Check out Harry Nuriev and Crosby Studios. The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentWriters for this episode: Carlos Steurer and Isabel WoopEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With their soulful vocals and melodies divas bring themes of love, acceptance and power to the dancefloor. Kikelomo talks to someone who brings the same energy to their sets: fka.m4a. Plus: A campaign in the UK to stop the use of rap lyrics and videos as evidence in criminal trials, an AI model that can understand and identify South African languages, and streaming platform Nina Protocol launches an editorial arm.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: KikelomoWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher and Helena SchmidtEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow Kikelomo.Follow Electronic Beats.Follow fka.m4a.Check out Art not Evidence.Read the feature in Resident Advisor by Carlos Hawthorn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will “AI Pins” replace smartphones? That's not the only question about new generations that we ask ourselves in this episode. OttO also talks to Anetha about intergenerational understanding and exchange in dance music. Plus: the Warehouse is returning as a touring party brand, Cassie sues Diddy for sexual assault and André 3000 releases his debut solo album.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: KikelomoWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher and Isabel Woop Edit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow Kikelomo.Follow OttO Kent.Follow Electronic Beats.Follow AnethaCheck out Anetha’s label Mama told ya and her agency Mama loves ya.Listen to Selassie’s EP Retro Future Kid.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Music taste and fandom have always been tied to our identities, but today it can seem like musical genres themselves are being replaced by identity-driven scenes. At least, according to music researcher Kriss Thakrar, who recently wrote a piece for the music industry blog Midia Research. OttO Kent invites Christa Belle to the studio to discuss this potential ‘tug-of-war’ between genre and identity. Plus: Controversial changes for Spotify streaming royalties, Missy Elliot becoming the first female rapper in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, rap history slipping away online and new Grammy categories.OttO Kent recommends you read this piece on the beef between DJ Akademiks and Saucy Santana.Check out Christa Belle’s new favourite genre Skwee and OttO’s favourite @thealgorythm on TikTok.Follow OttO Kent.Follow Electronic Beats.Follow Christa Belle.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Helena Schmidt and Jacob SperberEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel Woop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Songtradr bought Bandcamp, more than half of the staff has been booted out the door. In this episode Otto Kent talks to Ed Blair, one of the union's bargaining committee members. Plus: Listening to your favourite music actually acts as a painkiller, The Beatles released their final ever song with help from AI, and subcultures like “sad girl music” might replace genres afterall. The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Carlos Steurer and Helena SchmidtEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow Kikelomo and OttO Kent.Follow Electronic Beats.Support Bandcamp United.Watch how “Now and Then” by The Beatles was made.  Read Kriss Thakrar’s article on how Identity and culture have killed genre.And check out the documentary ONEFOUR. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a time to be online. In this week’s episode Kikelomo and OttO Kent discuss whether or not artists are obligated to post on social media in the wake of political crises. Plus: Fashion labels are recruiting and exploiting models from refugee camps, UMG is now NTS's largest shareholder, US states file a lawsuit against Meta accusing the company of harmful features, and can music hardware be environmentally sustainable?The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: KikelomoWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Carlos Steurer and Helena SchmidtEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow Kikelomo and OttO Kent.Follow Electronic Beats.Follow Shawn Reynaldo’s newsletter First Floor.Check out Neema Githere’s post on Instagram.Listen to the podcast “Slate News: You don’t need to post about Israel and Palestine”Read the Sunday Time’s investigation “How modelling agencies recruit refugees” Read Adam Douglas’s article “Is music hardware environmentally sustainable?”.Here you can find the book “The Musical Human” by Michael Spitzer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alcohol can be quite central and inescapable at clubs and parties. So what would happen if someone banned alcohol completely from their party? That’s basically what journalist Michelle Lhooq did at her ‘Shroom Raves’. OttO Kent talks to her about her inspiration for the idea and about what it means to create a space for experiencing other kinds of drugs. Plus: Drunk Brits are being banned from the Balearics, half of Bandcamp employees have been laid off, FKA Twigs is mad because 85 of her demos were leaked and Meta and Ray Ban released smart glasses.The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher & Carlos Steurer Edit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow Kikelomo.Follow OttO Kent. Follow Michelle Lhooq and her newsletter Rave New World. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is it more important than ever to create ‘safer’ spaces and awareness concepts in our club culture? And what can we all do, so that everybody feels safe while going out? Kikelomo talks to diversity consultant Lewamm Ghebremariam about the evolution of safer spaces, why she rather speaks about intentional spaces, and how the Netflix series “Sex Education” is a great learning experience for basically everything. Plus: Prada designing the space suits for NASA’s next moon mission, reggae icon Max Romeo suing his publishers, the amapiano community showing love to its originator, and the psychic story behind the classic “Gypsy Woman”. The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: KikelomoWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Helena Schmidt and Carlos Steurer Edit and sound design: Hakan Halaç and Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow KikelomoFollow Lewamm Ghebremariam Check out Awareness Akademie and LemLem Culture. Watch “Capital B” – the 5-part documentary on ARTEs YouTube channel.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While West-African music is celebrating new milestones globally, the electronic music scene is still underrepresented. The Nyege Nyege festival in Uganda and its community have been a centerpoint for highlighting dance music and queer culture from East Africa. In this episode Kikelomo talks to Turkana, who’s part of the experimental Anti-Mass collective from Kumpala. She opens up about the danger of building safer spaces in a country where being queer is a crime and the troubles of getting working visas as African artists in Europe. Plus: Bandcamp being sold – again, grassroots music venues under threat, cable-free studio monitors, and the EU to ban generic environmental claims. The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: KikelomoWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Carlos Steurer and KikelomoEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow Kikelomo.Follow Turkana.  Check out the recommended multimedia project “Union Black – Sounds Of A Nation”.Read more on the challenges African artists have to face when applying for visa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dance music from the Latin diaspora is making waves into the European scene – but who’s really profiting from the boom? This week OttO Kent talks to the Venezuelan writer and deputy editor of Crack Magazine Rachel Grace Almeida about the long-overdue attention that Latin American artists are getting, and why it’s problematic to lump all these artists and countries into one box. Plus: Bad Bunny speaking out against queer baiting accusations, Chioma Nnadi as the first black woman to lead British Vogue, Brian Eno calling out James Blake for using the asshole chord, and a new Spotify feature that sounds a lot like payola. The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO Kent Writers for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Carlos Steurer and Jacob SperberEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow OttO Kent. Follow Rachel Grace Almeida. Listen to Rachel Grace Almeida’s radio show on NTS. Watch “Talking Robots Into Heaven – a conversation between James Blake and Brian Eno”. Watch the documentary “Future Sound Of Mzansi” (Part 1, 2, and 3). Watch “The Scare Tactics of Spoek Mathambo: at TEDxSoweto 2011. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should we consider turning away from the DJ booth? That’s what an older generation of ravers is proposing on social media? Kikelomo has some strong feelings about that – and even the science to back them up. She’s joined by co-host OttO Kent to dive into the debate and to talk about the history and evolution of the DJ booth. Plus: Songs as investments, UK bans laughing gas, the new iPhone as a gaming console, and Mexican singer Peso Pluma facing threats by a major drug cartel. The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: KikelomoWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Carlos Steurer and Jacob SperberEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow Kikelomo.Follow OttO Kent. Read Goldie’s biography “All things remembered: Goldie”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are demons taking over pop culture? This week OttO talks to a mystic creature herself – the british artist Sarahsson – about the current trend of playing with the devil, cybersigilism being the new tribal tattoos and how a new generation is charging their Whoppers while remixing the forbidden. Plus: African music getting some long overdue global love, A$AP Rocky being honored with the Virgil Abloh Award, criminal gangs supposedly laundering money with Spotify streams and the British series Top Boy coming to an end.  The Week is a production by Telekom Electronic Beats and ACB Stories.Host: OttO KentWriters for this episode: Aaron Gonsher, Carlos Steurer and Jacob SperberEdit and sound design: Marc ÜbelLead Producer: Isabel WoopFollow OttO Kent.Follow Sarahsson and check out her debut album “The Horgenaith”. Support the fundraiser to help find The Stud in San Francisco a new home.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.