If this is your first time listening to the podcast, then know I’m very excited to hear that. In many ways this chat I had with Connor and Dylan of Canadian indie band Half Moon Run feels like how I want every episode of this podcast to feel: lovers of art talking about how life influences art. Don’t get me wrong, we tend to achieve that across our episodes, but Half Moon Run is unique in how those contemplations of art and life became very do-or-die for the band. Their most recent album, Salt, is the sound of three people fully surrendering themselves to pursuing creativity. Does that sound pretentious? Fuck yeah, it does, but the end result of them doing that is an album that’s both fun to listen to and massively transcendent. It’s easily their most complete body of work, and this episode centers around that journey; particularly how it was a transformative experience for the band.

Also a heads up, later this week there’ll be a bonus episode dropping with Jennifer McCord, my dear friend and the bands photographer. Be sure to be following the podcast so you don’t miss out on that release.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: three friends in Germany get together to essentially create their own world. The focal point is their aim to celebrate and progress hip-hop, along with integrating fashion, filmmaking, and photography in a way that has a unique impact. No, you’re not having a fever dream, this is indeed real and it’s the story of KITSCHKRIEG, a trio of German creatives who have their sights firmly set on the wider world. That word ‘unique’ feels constant when it comes to their prolific output, and yet to hear Fizzle and Fuji Kris discuss it; KITSCHKRIEG has simply become a way of life.

I was keen to have them on the podcast way back in season six and it’s a massive privilege getting to have them on now. Across our chat we explore the three pillars that led them to where they are today: 1) Building a world around their music, 2) Branching out of their comfort zones, and 3) The vitality of their phrase ‘LAPTOP-LAPTOP-LENS. Welcome to the world of KITSCHKRIEG.

They will be dropping their next body of work, German Engineering ZWEI on November 15th. The lead single is a belter called Slow Down featuring Future, Mariah the Scientist and Fridayy.

There aren’t any shortages of the narrative that life brings about the unexpected. That said, there are still times in which we need to be reminded of the beauty of that; which is very much what happens with this conversation I had with Jason Aalon Butler. Jason is a frontman that’s largely existed in the world of hardcore music, though to say that almost feels reductive because of Jason’s overall approach to his art. You see, Jason has always strived to buck against the conventions of the world, including the hardcore punk world he holds dear. In doing so, he’s someone who’s aggressively gone by the beat of his drum and that’s been a total mainstay of his life thus far; across both his career and personal life.

I’ve known him for many years now and have seen all those aspects of his character, but one thing about Jason that’s very crucial is how so much of the music that he makes is reflective of his lived experience. It’s literally second nature for Jason to sing about what he’s thinking, what he’s feeling and doing so in a way that doesn’t leave many questions to be asked….except for, what is that like? What is it like for someone to be so open about how they’re feeling, how they’re thinking and to do so in a way that’s extremely direct? That’s largely what we talked about across this episode, along with the new music of his band, Fever 333.

The band just dropped a new album called Darker White, a body of work that’s beyond timely. Be sure to check it out.

(ByLwansta chat starts at 3:37 and Dope Saint Jude chat starts at 60:47). This next bonus episode is a very special one, especially since you’re essentially getting two chats for the price of one. Last year, we had a very different season of the podcast called The Passport Season, which featured us highlighting six countries across six episodes. One of those episodes was South Africa, a place that’s grown to mean a lot to me over the years due to the lovely South Africans I’ve met throughout my life. It was from doing that episode (and its playlist) that I came across today’s guests and it was from there that I immediately knew they had to be on the podcast. Those artists are JoBurg based rapper/producer/creative director ByLwansta and Cape Town based rapper/singer/producer/overall badass Dope Saint Jude.

Both of them are supremely talented artists who’re aggressively carving out their own paths, which let’s be honest; is practically a prerequisite to be on this series. But what’s incredible about the both of them is how much they live by their rhymes; and how much their art reflects the lives they’re actively living. Across both chats, they shared with me what drove them to create and how the most meaningful thing they could achieve was creating a new kind of sound in their native South Africa.

Something tells me that after the first few minutes of this episode, the last thing you’ll call today’s guest is “modest.” But something I grew to learn from talking to London-based artist Master Peace, was just how much that confidence has been earned. I could already tell from his stellar debut album, How to Make a Master Peace, an album full of danceable bangers that’ll remind you why you love indie sleaze so much. Actually, it does something better, where if you’re unfamiliar with the indie sound of the early 00’s, the album acts as a perfect doorway to that sound; while also being a colossal step forward. Peace isn’t shy about this being his mission, he says it on this episode that he hopes to make this sound mainstream, to reach the heights that bands like Bloc Party and LCD Soundsystem (unjustly) never did. It's a tall order indeed, but something tells me he’s just the guy for the job. Together we chat about why and how music means so much to him, being driven to make eclectic music, and the joys of collaborating with Wale.

I feel that this episode's title might be a paradox to some of you. In all honesty, fair, I mean how could someone straddle that line of tradition? But to hear Dawn Richard talk about it ends up making all the sense in the world. In our hearts we know that people are nuanced, but how often do we come across people who wear that on their sleeves with intense vigor and conviction? That’s one of the many places that Dawn Richard creates from and it’s a massive privilege getting to welcome her on the podcast. From dancefloor anthems that blend R&B with afro-futurism and synth-heavy compositions that evoke her roots in utter brilliance, Dawn is the kind of artist who’s always aiming to challenge herself, her listeners, and inadvertently the world itself. What you’ll learn across this episode is how the journey of that has never been rooted in a mandate and is more tied to a desire to better understand who she is.

The road of that journey has led her to once again work with the talented composer Spencer Zahn for their second album, Quiet in a World Full of Noise (which is out now). The title is beyond fitting not only because of the music but also because of the deep experience of healing and self-exploration that Dawn went on to write these songs with Spencer. On this episode, we chat about that healing, and why making art continues to be life and death for Dawn.

By the way, Dawn and Spencer will be touring the states this autumn, starting on October 22nd in Minnesota at the Dakota. They’ll be playing two shows at National Sawdust in Brooklyn on the 29th and 30th, trust me when I say that you’ll want to be there. Be sure to check out Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn via Instagram for more tour dates.

In a few short years, Kelly Lee Owens has become one of the most prolific artists of her generation. Her unique approach to combining hypnotic beats with pop melodies certainly has a lot to do with it (along with her euphoric live shows), but what continues to make Kelly stand out is how her curiosity about life continues to drive her creativity. The proof is in her upcoming album, Dreamstate (out October 18th on George Daniel’s DH2 label). As the title suggests, Kelly wants to welcome you into a world where you can feel safe to dream, to put your guard down, and dance your troubles away. Crafting the album came from a period of internal and external upheaval in Kelly’s life and on today’s podcast we chat about the importance of doing that: taking stock in one’s life and gaining clarity towards what you want to put out into the world.

Kelly Lee Owens will be touring Europe this autumn, starting on October 29th in Berlin. All tour dates can be found at kellyleeowns.com.

Is there anything more cliche than a sad boi crooning about a lost love? Well….probably not, actually, but it’s that self-awareness that shines through on J. Bernardt’s latest effort, Contigo. With this moniker, my friend, Jinte Deprez (of Belgian indie rock legends Balthazar) has crafted the perfect break-up album. Yes, there’s whining, sweeping string sections, and catching numbers, but what makes Contigo excel is Jinte’s constant desire to “go there.” Listening to this album for the first time stopped me dead in my tracks on multiple occasions, because in all honesty, hearing a man be so bare and direct about his feelings felt starkly refreshing to me. Throughout the album’s runtime, Jinte never attempts to hide behind a veil, and in doing so he’s willing to expose a lonely, confused (and sometimes petulant) crooner who’s in the throes of an identity crisis. It’s a beautiful album full of character, whimsy, and wit, and it’s such a privilege that we got to explore it in depth for the first bonus episode of season 8.

J. Bernardt will be going on tour throughout Europe this autumn, starting on September 29th in Denmark. Be sure to visit https://www.jbernardt.com for all tour dates.