Ten Ton Devil
Ten Ton Devil Ten Ton Devil unleashes raw intensity with “Hollywood Blood,” fusing electronic chaos and extreme metal. In this interview, the project dives into its vision, influences, and unapologetically confrontational themes. 1. “Hollywood Blood” hits with an almost overwhelming fusion of electronic deathcore, industrial textures, and EDM chaos—what was your vision when shaping this track’s sound?I love blending genres, especially electronic music and meta, specifically heavy dubstep and DnB. I wanted to take the most extreme versions of these genres and crash them into each other in the most violent way possible. I gotta say i was heavily inspired by the DnB artis “The Satan” and also “Hallucinator”. These guys are doing some amazing things. So my vision for this track is too frighten, and make people feel completely uneasy. 2. You’ve described Ten Ton Devil’s approach as “weaponizing” rather than reinventing—how does that philosophy translate into the way you build and structure your music?What i mean by that ideology is simple. I’m not doing anything that hasn’t been done before by other artists is some form or other. I’m just taking it to a whole new level of unbridled violence, chaos and aggression. Sounds cocky but i’m doing it harder, scarier, more chaotic and to be honest a lot better. 3. The track takes direct aim at the perceived hypocrisy of Hollywood’s elite. What pushed you to tackle that theme so aggressively, and what kind of reaction are you hoping to provoke?I’m so fucking sick of cancel culture, politically correctness, the far left and the absolute out of touch opinions of Hollywood celebrities. They live in a bubble and use their platform to tell the regular blue collar working man how to live and what to think. it offends me to no end. I’m also fed up with the vast majority of artist and in particular Metal artists pandering to far left ideology. The metal bands, sound like big tough alpha males cuz their music is so heavy but if you look into their lyrics they’re nothing but weak beta males crying and whining, it’s pathetic. I’m one of the few artists who isn’t afraid to stand for common sense and have pride in our country. very few artists if any have the balls to stand up for logic and what’s right. Ten Ton Devil · Hollywood Blood 4. Your influences range from extreme acts like Signs Of The Swarm and Godflesh to the industrial edge of Nine Inch Nails—how did these inspirations shape the final identity of “Hollywood Blood”? Organic instruments like guitar and bass mixed synths, severe effects, samples and processed machine, like midi programming all come from the forementioned artists. Nothing is off base for me; I implemented all elements available to make this track exactly what it is… HEAVY AS FUCK. 5. The recording process combines organic instrumentation with heavy digital manipulation and glitch-driven effects. What challenges—or unexpected breakthroughs—came from merging those two worlds?actually, it makes creating music a lot easier. It gives me a bigger palette and more colors to work with. Being a proficient musician and also adding my knowledge of of programs like Native Instruments, Serum and other creative tools opens whole new worlds of creating music. I usually have a loose idea of what I’m going to do but once the song starts to form it takes on a life of it’s own and it goes wherever it wants. Sometimes there’ll be a happy accident which takes the song in a completely different direction. I just go where the song takes me. 6. Releasing “Hollywood Blood” as a free SoundCloud download is a bold move in today’s music landscape. How does accessibility factor into your artistic vision, and what does it say about Ten Ton Devil as a project?Actually, I did a lot of research online about releasing a free Soundcloud only track and I found out it’s a very smart move. It’s a follow up to the “Seasons Of Sorrow” Ep almost as a thank you to the fans for making “Seasons” a big hit. It’s designed to keep Ten Ton Devil gaining traction and attracting attention to my music. Releasing music thru a distributer {I use Cdbaby} can be very expensive especially when promoting it. This is a much less expensive way to keep Ten Ton Devil relevant between releases on Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, etc etc etc. I also need to say I got very excited when i finished the track and kinda couldn’t wait the time it takes to release thru a distributor lol. Musique | Ten Ton Devil
Eric Alexandrakis
Eric Alexandrakis Blending experimental sound and cinematic vision, Eric Alexandrakis discusses “Life Is Better Live,” avant-garde influences, and his uncompromising approach to chaos, control, and artistic expression. 1. “Life Is Better Live” serves as both a standalone single and a film soundtrack—how did you approach balancing its identity between a purely musical piece and a visual narrative companion?I’m a big fan of Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage, who are composers that utilized a lot of the same approach. The guide was actually a voiceover to the short film this is synched to, and I wanted to follow the inflections and emotion with the sonics. I generally tend to push everything I do creatively beyond the boundaries because I don’t like being in a box. The balance came from the realization that I don’t want it to be just sound, and music only wouldn’t bring the unique intensity that was necessary, so I just experimented to see where it went, and this came out. Kind of like experimenting with a cocktail drink filled with bug spray. Subtle effects of nausea followed by violent vomiting…then you die! 2. This release pays homage to avant-garde pioneers Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage—what aspects of their philosophy or techniques most directly shaped your creative decisions here?I’ve always felt they had a punk ethic, going completely against the grain of conformity, and what is acceptable as “music”, or as an art form in general. I love artists who do their own thing their own way. 3. The track was recorded on Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, an unusual and evocative setting—how did the environment influence the sonic textures and overall atmosphere of the piece?I can’t place any kind of obvious influence aside from maybe a subconscious one. It’s calm there, so maybe that inspired the ending, hard to say really. A calm environment does provide mental space for creativity. ERIC ALEXANDRAKIS · Life Is Better Live [Steppenwolf 50] 4. You’ve described the work as capturing “the chaos outside.” What does that chaos represent to you, and how did you translate such an abstract concept into sound design and structure? There’s always chaos in the world as humans are generally horrible creatures in nature as a whole, but during these days, at a time where conflict has become currency, everyone is trying to monetize all at once. That’s the sound. 5. This project is tied to Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s 50th anniversary and Sandro Miller’s multimedia exhibition—how did collaborating within that broader artistic framework shape the final outcome?Sandro always encourages me to do whatever I want musically during all of our projects together, which is an absolute gift from someone so talented and accomplished. He wanted something chaotic, which made me smile because chaos is great fun to work with if done right, and have the right person to mix. Brian Leitner was the mix engineer, and he’s mixed our other films with John Malkovich. He always knows what everything needs. 6. Having handled nearly every aspect of the track—from composition to performance—what did this level of creative control allow you to explore that might not have been possible in a more collaborative setting?I’ve always done all of the audio work on pretty much everything, with very few exceptions. I’m not a fan of collabs on my solo tracks, as I feel like it’s either done my way, or the wrong way. It’s not ego, or maybe it is. I’ve just had too many bad experiences in the past, and also I want it to sound the way it sounds in my head, not someone else’s. When I do bring others in, it’s because it’s people I know who will make it better, and that’s always a delight. ERIC ALEXANDRAKIS
Neo Brightwell
Neo Brightwell Blending heartbreak, rhythm, and queer spirituality, Neo Brightwell crafts a sound where movement becomes healing—this interview dives into Moonshine Disco, intimacy, and turning survival into something defiantly alive. 1. “Break Me Like a Promise” transforms heartbreak into something almost kinetic and communal—what drew you to express emotional rupture through rhythm and movement rather than stillness or silence? Stillness has its place, but I think movement is how a lot of people actually survive. Most heartbreak songs end at the wound. I was more interested in what the body does afterward. The body keeps moving before the mind agrees to. There’s something deeply human about dancing while devastated. Queer communities especially have turned dancefloors into places where grief and joy refuse to cancel each other out. So rhythm, for me, isn’t escapism. It’s evidence of life continuing under pressure. “Break Me Like a Promise” came from wanting to write a heartbreak song that doesn’t collapse into aestheticized sadness. I wanted the pulse to carry the listener forward, even while the lyrics admit something is ending. Everyone in the room has lost something. Rhythm lets strangers survive beside each other for three and a half minutes without explaining themselves first. That’s Moonshine Disco to me: movement holding truths language alone can’t carry. 2. You describe your voice as part sermon, part spell, part late-night voicemail. How do these different modes of expression shape your songwriting process, especially when dealing with something as raw as honesty in love? I think all three forms are attempts to cross distance. A sermon says: I need you to stay with me long enough to understand this. A spell says: language can alter reality if spoken correctly. A voicemail says: I didn’t know where else to put this. Most of my songs live somewhere between those impulses. The sermon side is cadence and breath. The spell side is repetition, image systems, recurrence, and memory. The voicemail side is vulnerability without polish. Especially in love songs, I try to protect the human shakiness. I don’t want the voice to sound invincible. I want it to sound lived in. 3. The phrase “Moonshine Disco” is striking and unconventional—how did this sound and identity emerge, and what does it allow you to explore that more traditional genres might not? Moonshine Disco started because none of the existing genre labels were large enough for the emotional architecture I was trying to build. Country understood inheritance, land, ghosts, and survival. Disco understood the body, release, and collective ecstasy. Gospel understood transcendence. Poetry understood compression and silence. But I didn’t want to visit those traditions separately. I wanted them speaking to each other in the same room. The “moonshine” part carries outlaw energy, hidden fire, Americana, and survival improvisation. The “disco” part carries liberation through movement, queer joy, sweat, glamour, and collective release. Together, the genre becomes a conversation between grit and radiance, the church and the dancefloor. More than anything, it gave me permission to stop fragmenting myself artistically. 4. Burn Bright, Stay Free seems to center on lived emotional experience rather than abstract storytelling. Did you approach this album differently in terms of writing or production compared to your earlier, more mythic or political work? Absolutely. Earlier records often looked outward: systems, survival, collective witness, mythology, erasure, public pressure. Even when personal, they tended to scale upward toward symbol. Burn Bright, Stay Free turns the lens closer to the skin. I became interested in embodiment, intimacy, domestic textures, and the emotional physics of ordinary life. A hand on a kitchen counter can carry as much weight as a manifesto if you write it honestly enough. So the writing became less declarative and more inhabited. I stopped trying to elevate every moment into myth and started trusting smaller details to hold meaning on their own. That changed the music too. The production breathes more. There’s more space inside the arrangements. Less proving. More presence. Ironically, I think that intimacy made the album feel larger emotionally. 5. There’s a strong thread of queer spirituality and survival running through your music. How has your personal journey influenced the way you merge themes of faith, identity, and desire in your work? I grew up around systems that often treated identity and spirit as oppositional forces. A lot of queer people inherit the feeling that they must amputate some essential part of themselves in order to be loved, safe, or holy. My work rejects that division completely. I don’t experience desire as the opposite of spirituality. I think desire can be deeply revealing. Sometimes the body tells the truth long before language catches up. Sometimes survival itself becomes sacred. A lot of my songs are trying to reclaim symbolic space that queer people were historically denied access to: altars, hymns, ritual, transcendence, reverence. Not to imitate old systems exactly, but to rebuild meaning from the ruins in a more human form. Sometimes dancing is theology. Sometimes tenderness is resistance. Sometimes simply remaining visible is a spiritual act. 6. Your music feels designed not just to be heard, but physically felt—almost like a shared ritual on the dancefloor. What do you hope listeners carry with them after experiencing this album, both emotionally and physically? Relief, first. Not escapist relief. Recognition. I want people to feel less alone inside themselves. A lot of modern life pressures people into fragmentation: public self, private self, performed self, surviving self. I think music can briefly reunify those pieces. A really great song lets somebody inhabit themselves more fully for a moment. Physically, I want the records to move through the body. I care about pulse, bass, breath, repetition, the feeling of a room exhaling together. Emotionally, I hope the album leaves behind a strange combination of tenderness and stamina. Not the fantasy that pain disappears. Not the performance of being healed. Something more durable than that. The sense that a person can remain open without disappearing. That joy does not make you naive. That softness is not surrender.
Tahani
Tahani In this interview, Tahani reflects on the inspiration behind “Don’t Come Knocking,” sharing a heartfelt journey of growth, creative spontaneity, and embracing self-worth while learning to fiercely protect her inner peace. 1. “Don’t Come Knocking” captures a powerful journey from heartbreak to empowerment—what was the exact moment you knew this song needed to be written? The definitive moment for “Don’t Come Knocking” evolved during a serene August evening, while observing fireworks with my family in the forest. This experience brought a profound sense of contentment and a realization of my personal growth from past struggles. It was in that instant of pure happiness that I resolved to protect my peace, sparking the core inspiration for the song. 2. You started the idea during a spontaneous moment watching summer fireworks—how did that atmosphere shape the emotion and direction of the track? The beauty of the forest and tranquil atmosphere of the summer fireworks was instrumental in shaping the emotional arc of the song. It provided a backdrop for a pivotal moment of clarity, where I recognized my journey from past pain to present joy. This powerful realization of self-worth and the commitment to guard it became the driving emotional force and direction of the track. I finally realised this is what happiness feels like and no one was going to spoil it. 3. Your collaboration with Dan Scholes began through TikTok. How has that unexpected connection influenced your creative process and sound? My collaboration with producer Dan Scholes, began organically after we connected on TikTok in 2025. Our creative styles harmonized effortlessly, leading to a strong partnership. This connection quickly evolved, first with the release of our indie pop anthem “17,” and subsequently with “Don’t Come Knocking,” demonstrating a natural and productive partnership. 4. The adlibs in the song were completely unplanned and recorded in one take—what did that moment feel like in the studio, and why do you think it worked so well? The ad-libs in “Don’t Come Knocking” were indeed a spontaneous and magical occurrence, captured in a single, unrehearsed take. This moment felt like everything aligned perfectly; the empty studio allowed me to fully immerse myself and channel raw emotion without inhibition. This unbridled expression is what I believe made those ad-libs so impactful and authentic. 5. Your music blends emotional storytelling with a strong, anthemic pop-country style inspired by artists like Miley Cyrus and Kelly Clarkson—how do you balance vulnerability with that big, stadium-ready energy? I balance vulnerability with a powerful, anthemic pop-country style by drawing directly from my personal journey of overcoming challenges. The song intentionally progresses from acknowledging past hurts and people-pleasing tendencies to a resolute declaration of self-worth and independence. This emotional transition, combined with diverse influences like alternative pop, dark pop, indie, and nostalgic 2000s sounds, creates a dynamic track that is both deeply personal and universally empowering, designed to resonate with a sense of collective liberation. 6. The song is all about setting boundaries and reclaiming self-worth—what message do you hope listeners take with them after hearing “Don’t Come Knocking”? The central message I hope listeners take from “Don’t Come Knocking” is one of profound empowerment and self-affirmation. It’s about giving oneself permission to prioritize personal peace, establish firm boundaries, and confidently move away from anything that no longer serves their well-being. I want them to feel a surge of confidence, recognizing their own strength and embracing their journey with renewed purpose and joy. The emotional journey in “Don’t Come Knocking” was shaped by my own path from vulnerability to empowerment. It starts with acknowledging past hurts and the realization that I was breaking my own heart by being a people-pleaser. But then, it shifts to that moment of clarity under the fireworks – understanding my worth, setting boundaries, and choosing my own happiness. I wanted the song to reflect that transition, building from a place of introspection to a powerful declaration of self-worth and independence. It’s about finding your voice and saying, “This is my space, my peace, and I won’t let anyone disrupt it.” Tahani Lissy Lou (@tahani.music) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
Mourning Service
Mourning Service Emerging from the shadows of goth post-punk, Mourning Service discuss the emotional weight, physical intimacy, and haunting atmosphere behind their cassette-only release, “Where Loneliness Awaits.” 1. “Where Loneliness Awaits” comes from your first cassette tape release—what made you choose this format for such an important milestone? We liked the idea of making the first release something physical and limited. A cassette just felt right. There’s something about it that slows things down, you’re not skipping around or being fed tracks by an algorithm, you’re just listening straight through. 2. The song explores being stuck in a repeating emotional cycle. Can you tell us more about the personal or creative inspiration behind that theme? That idea came from this feeling of being stuck in the same emotional loop with someone. Like things are physically inevitable, but emotionally nothing ever quite connects or resolves. Even when something shifts, it doesn’t really bring clarity. 3. Your sound is rooted in goth post-punk. How does this genre help you express the emotions behind the track? We don’t feel the need to over-explain things in this genre. For us, the tension is already in the atmosphere, the repetition, and the space between everything. We’re not trying to rely on technical complexity or constant changes just for the sake of it. The sound is meant to feel honest and direct, and that’s what draws us to it. Tristesse de Mourning Service 4. The tracks are only available on cassette, which is quite rare today. What does that exclusivity mean to you as artists? It’s more about intention. We liked the idea of it existing in a specific form, at a specific time, instead of just being endlessly available and disposable. There’s something about holding a physical object that changes how you connect with it. I’ve never owned a cassette before, but I grew up with CDs, and I remember holding the case, reading the lyrics, looking at the artwork. Streaming doesn’t really give you that same feeling. 5. What do you hope listeners feel or take away when they hear “Where Loneliness Awaits”? We didn’t want to force a specific interpretation. Ideally it just meets people where they already are. If anything, it’s more about recognition, hearing something that feels familiar, even if it’s uncomfortable. The music kind of loops back on itself in that way too. 6. Now that this special release is out, what’s next for Mourning Service? Will these tracks ever see a wider release? We’re already working on new material, still in a similar emotional space but pushing things further sonically. Now that we’ve released most of what I originally wrote when starting the band, Sky has become a bigger influence on where we’re going next. The new stuff feels more like a blend of both of our inputs. As for wider release, we like that this first one exists in a limited form, it gives it its own identity before anything else happens with it. https://www.instagram.com/mourningservicepdx/
Kaitlin Corbett Jones
Kaitlin Corbett Jones Blending operatic discipline with contemporary emotion, Kaitlin Corbett Jones discusses vocal mastery, artistic authenticity, and the inspiration behind Make The World Stand Still in this deeply personal interview. 1. Your journey began with classical vocal training at a very young age. How did those early experiences with the Chicago Lyric Opera’s Children’s Ensemble shape the artist you are today? Being part of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Children’s Ensemble gave me a foundation that went far beyond singing. It taught me discipline, professionalism, and how to collaborate with artists at an elite level from a very young age. Being surrounded by world-class performers showed me the importance of preparation, emotional expression, and storytelling through performance. It also helped build my confidence on stage and taught me how to connect with an audience authentically. Those lessons still influence the way I approach my craft today, with passion, professionalism, and a deep respect for the performing arts. 2 .Kaitlin Corbett Jones is known for having an extraordinary five-octave vocal range. How do you balance the technical discipline of classical singing with the emotional intensity required for contemporary music? Classical training gave me the structure, control, and endurance to protect my voice across such a wide range, but contemporary music asks you to be emotionally vulnerable and completely present. For me, the balance comes from learning the rules technically so that I can eventually forget them emotionally. When I’m singing classical music, there’s a precision in breath support, placement, diction, and consistency that keeps the instrument healthy. That discipline actually gives me more freedom when I step into contemporary styles because I’m not fighting my voice, I can focus on storytelling and connection. Contemporary music allows more texture, grit, intimacy, and personal interpretation. The challenge is knowing when to let emotion lead without sacrificing healthy technique. Having a five-octave range is exciting technically, but range alone doesn’t move people, emotion does. Whether I’m singing something operatic or something modern and raw, my goal is always the same: to make people feel something honest. 3. Throughout your career, you’ve worked with highly respected coaches such as Seth Riggs, Diane Lange, and Chamber Stevens. What were some of the most valuable lessons you learned from them, both vocally and personally? Working with mentors like Seth Riggs, Diane Lange, and Chamber Stevens was truly transformative for me, not just as a vocalist, but as an artist and person. From Seth Riggs, I learned the importance of vocal freedom and consistency. He taught me that great singing should never feel forced. Technique is there to support expression, not overpower it. One of the biggest lessons I carried from him was learning to trust the natural voice and maintain vocal health, especially when navigating different genres and demanding performances. He emphasized discipline and daily practice, but also confidence, understanding that your voice is unique and doesn’t need to imitate anyone else to be powerful. Diane Lange helped me better understand emotional interpretation and vulnerability in performance. Vocally, she helped me explore dynamics, phrasing, and emotional color, but personally, she reminded me that audiences connect to honesty more than perfection. She taught me to embrace imperfections as part of what makes a performance human and memorable. From Chamber Stevens, I gained a stronger understanding of character, presence, and fearlessness as a performer. His coaching pushed me beyond simply “singing well” into truly communicating a message. He emphasized creativity, confidence, and taking risks artistically. Personally, he taught me resilience, that rejection and criticism are part of the journey, but they should never silence your artistic voice. Collectively, all three mentors reinforced something I value deeply today: technique matters, professionalism matters, but authenticity is what ultimately creates impact. The combination of discipline, emotional truth, and artistic courage shaped not only how I perform, but how I approach life and creative expression overall. Kaitlin Corbett Jones · Make The World Staand Still 4. Your latest project, Make The World Stand Still, carries themes of humanity, resilience, and connection. What inspired the emotional direction and storytelling behind this release? Make The World Stand Still came from a very reflective and emotional place for me. I wanted to create something that reminded people to slow down and reconnect, not only with each other, but with themselves. The emotional direction of the project was inspired by real-life experiences, moments of loss, healing, growth, and witnessing how people continue to rise even during difficult times. I’ve always believed music has the power to comfort, unite, and help people feel seen. With this release, I wanted every song to feel cinematic and emotionally honest, almost like chapters in a story that listeners could personally connect to in their own way. Storytelling was especially important to me on this project. I didn’t want the songs to simply sound beautiful, I wanted them to mean something. The title itself, Make The World Stand Still, reflects that desire to create moments where emotion becomes so powerful that everything else fades away for a second and people can simply feel. 5. Many listeners compare your artistry to performers like Adele, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion. How do you embrace those influences while still maintaining your own unique artistic identity? Being compared to artists like Adele, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion is incredibly humbling because each of them represents a different kind of excellence in artistry and performance. They’ve all influenced music in such powerful ways, vocally, emotionally, and creatively, so to even be mentioned alongside them is an honor. What I admire most about those artists is not just their vocal ability, but their emotional honesty and commitment to storytelling. Adele has this raw vulnerability that makes people feel every lyric. Lady Gaga is fearless creatively and constantly reinvents herself while staying authentic. Whitney Houston brought unmatched vocal precision and emotional power, and Celine Dion has this timeless elegance and ability to connect universally through emotion. I’ve definitely studied and appreciated aspects of
Mary Knoblock
Mary Knoblock Mary Knoblock opens up about the emotional depth behind PEACH, exploring vulnerability, cinematic soundscapes, artistic evolution, and the healing power of honest, genre-defying music and creative expression. 1. PEACH is described as a “diary of the heart” filled with healing, longing, and emotional honesty. Was there a particular moment or experience that became the emotional starting point for the album? I think PEACH began with the realization that certain emotions don’t disappear just because time passes. Some memories soften around the edges, but they continue to glow quietly underneath everything. There wasn’t one single moment as much as an accumulation of emotional fragments: love, distance, nostalgia, tenderness, grief, beauty all folding together into something that felt suspended in time. The album became a way of processing those feelings without needing to over-explain them. 2. Your music blends neo-classical composition, avant-garde experimentation, folk storytelling, and cinematic dream-pop textures. How did you approach balancing these different influences while creating the sonic identity of PEACH? For me, the emotional atmosphere always comes first. I’m less interested in staying inside one genre and more interested in creating a world that feels emotionally cohesive. Sometimes a piece needed the intimacy of piano, sometimes it needed layered ambient textures or something more cinematic and expansive. I approached PEACH almost like building scenes in a film letting each element serve the emotional tone rather than forcing stylistic consistency. 3. The album title symbolizes emotional unfolding and vulnerability. Why did “PEACH” feel like the perfect word and image to represent this chapter of your life and artistry? There’s something delicate and human about the word itself. It feels warm, soft, fleeting, nostalgic, almost dreamlike. To me, PEACH represented emotional openness without hardness around it. The color palette, the texture, the symbolism of ripening and unfolding all mirrored where I was creatively and emotionally while making the record. 4. Many of the songs are said to feel like “cinematic theater scenes.” When writing and producing, do you visualize stories, colors, or characters in your mind before the music takes shape? Almost always. I tend to experience music visually first. Sometimes it begins as light through a window, a color palette, an atmosphere, a memory fragment, or even the feeling of a room. Other times I can almost see characters moving through emotional landscapes while I’m composing. I think that’s why the music often feels cinematic it’s tied very closely to imagery and emotional environments in my mind. 5. Beyond your own music, you’ve built platforms like Produced by a Girl and Aurally Records to support women in music production and creative leadership. How has advocacy and community-building influenced your evolution as an artist? It’s made me more fearless creatively. Building spaces that encourage women to create, produce, experiment, and lead has reinforced the importance of artistic ownership and trusting your instincts. I think advocacy and artistry are deeply connected because both require vulnerability and vision. Supporting other women in creative spaces has also reminded me that there’s room for many different voices and ways of creating. 6. With nearly 30 albums in your catalog and such a fearless creative spirit, what does PEACH reveal about Mary Knoblock today that listeners may not have heard in your previous work? I think PEACH reveals a quieter kind of honesty. Earlier work often explored atmosphere and experimentation, but this album feels more emotionally transparent and intimate. There’s less distance between the listener and the emotional core of the music. It embraces softness rather than hiding behind abstraction, and I think that vulnerability is probably the biggest evolution. maryknoblockartist
Allie Crummy
Allie Crummy Blending science, emotion, and cinematic textures, Allie Crummy explores humanity, technology, and existential fear through the thought-provoking soundscapes of her haunting new single “Entropy.” 1. “Entropy” marks a noticeable shift in your sound compared to your earlier, more organic work. What inspired you to explore this more cerebral and otherworldly sonic direction? This song demanded a deviation from my stylistic norm. The concept of entropy lives in the cerebral world more than it does in the emotional; it belongs in the department of sciences more than the department of arts and humanities. I suppose I’m making the two juxtaposed camps meet in the middle with “Entropy”, but to do that, I used textures that would feel at home in a sci-fi movie, like theremin and arpeggiated synths in addition to organic textures. For the lead line (played on acoustic piano and electric guitar plus Kaoss pad), I wanted to craft a melody that sounded like it originated in a brain, with pencil and paper in hand, more than an organic melody that was improvised on a whim, with instrument in hand. The song itself is written out of a sense of fear for where we are headed as a society, and that fear has to do with our collective relationship with rapidly advancing technologies like AI. If I had produced this song in an organic indie-folk aesthetic like lots of my other songs, it would have sounded more personal and intimate; I needed it to sound broader, more high-minded. 2. The concept of entropy from quantum physics plays a central role in the single. What drew you to the Second Law of Thermodynamics as a metaphor, and how does it connect to your view of today’s world? I was drawn to quantum physics because I couldn’t make sense of the world. It’s not that I believed that quantum physics held the answers, but my curiosity led me there — to the relationship between matter and time. Why do people continue to support politicians who are clearly lying to them? Why does a democratic society elect a tyrant to rule over them? Why do people adopt every new technology that comes down the pipeline rather than questioning the impact it has on their fellow human beings or the future of their planet? I tried to make rational sense of the arguments of people with whom I disagree, and I continue to struggle to see anything so compelling in them that would warrant what we’re experiencing right now: more wars, more inflation, more civil division, more social distrust, more disconnection. How is anyone happy about this, outside of the handful of people who hold the majority of the power and wealth? The concept of entropy as outlined in the Second Law of Thermodynamics doesn’t explain it, but it certainly resonates with how I feel about all of this. 3. You worked closely with Bryan Vanderpool at Golden Bear Studio for this track. How did that collaboration shape the final sound and push you as a producer? I’ve worked with Bryan for years, and we have always had such an easy working relationship. Our rhythm now is that I’ll write songs, record the tracks that form the foundation of the song at home, then bring them to his studio; I’ll have him play instruments I can’t play or that he’s better at, we’ll use his gear which is superior to mine, and he’ll offer production ideas and opinions as they pop up. Then, I’ll take everything back home and do the final editing and mixing myself. 4. The song features unique elements like theremin lines, distorted acoustic guitars, and a deliberately “tricky” melodic lead. How did you approach crafting these textures to make listeners both feel and think? The things you brought up are the most defining elements of the song, and they’re also good examples of the collaborative effort behind “Entropy”. For the distorted acoustics, I used rubber bridge acoustic guitars because they’re more percussive, and I pushed them really hot on my preamp and my compressor, so the distortion and over-compression you hear on them is all analog and not digital. I left a blank space for the lead line when I came into the studio. I could have sat down and composed a melody that was “cerebral and science-y” on my own, but it worked a lot better to have that idea filter through someone else’s brain and creativity. I told Bryan those two words, he fiddled with a couple lines, and then he and I went back and forth with tweaks until we had something that felt right. It was his idea to add the Kaoss pad to the electric, and it was my idea to double that line on the piano — things that again, brought cohesion between a futuristic sound and a rooted organic one. The theremin lines going into/ out of the chorus were my idea, but the theremin itself is his; they required so much editing because it was my first time ever playing a theremin and — surprise! — I haven’t caught the hang of it yet. Luckily, post-production is my jam. 5. “Entropy” is the first glimpse into your upcoming album For Love of Carbon-Based Life. What themes can listeners expect from the full project, and how does this single set the tone? We are living in a time where technological advancements are moving at an extremely rapid rate, and the cutting edge of these technologies is closer within reach to the general populace than ever before. Just look at the evolution of AI generated videos of Will Smith eating spaghetti in 2023 compared to 2026. Society hadn’t even finished its sentence in bringing up concerns about a loneliness epidemic before companion chatbots became a thing — and now, are suddenly, alarmingly common. The advancements are not all bad, but they’re not all good either. They come with a cost — to our relationships with other humans, our relationships with
Addy Faith
Addy Faith We introduce an interview with Addy Faith about Bold, the opening single from Bangers to Play on Richfield Way exploring nostalgia, mental health themes and creative evolution behind project EP. 1. “Bold” feels like a powerful statement both musically and emotionally. What inspired you to make this song the first introduction to your double album project “Bangers to Play on Richfield Way”? Last summer, I performed at my first festival in Salt Lake City, Utah. While the show itself was fun and exhilarating, I know I didn’t connect with my audience well because with my last album, Rev, it covered heavy topics but in a targeted manner, not a relatable or digestible way. I thought about how I wanted to go about my music in the future and decided to create a project that covers heavy topics, but in a way that grabs the audience with nostalgia and a fun, quirky vibe to it. I wrote Bold soon after and it became the best example of “a fun song with a deeper, more heavy meaning to it”. I knew it would set the tone for the remainder of the Bangers to Play on Richfield Way EP and the sister album, all because of you. 2. Your music channels the energy of classic 2000s pop punk artists like Avril Lavigne and blink-182 while still sounding modern and personal. How do you balance nostalgia with your own artistic identity? The EP’s name, Bangers to Play on Richfield Way, was created based on the street my childhood home is located in and takes place in the year I left Richfield Way. I channeled music I listened to during my childhood into each track, which included songs like Sk8ter Boi (Avril Lavigne) and All the Small Things (Blink-182). My whole brand is to create storyline albums. The best way I kept the nostalgia and identity flowing throughout the project was through the Rockstar characterized version of me and portrayed the story in the year 2008. Bold is the beginning of the rockstar’s journey through stardom and love but is written through experiences I’ve had in the present day. 3. The concept behind the project explores mental health and borderline personality disorder in a very honest way. How important was it for you to approach these themes openly through music? Bangers to Play on Richfield Way and its sister album, all because of you, are mirrors of each other and both tackle the same concept: mental health. As someone who struggles with PTSD and BPD, I wanted this album to show what it’s like for the patient with these disorders. I wanted to show why mental health needs to be taken more seriously and why the stigma revolving around it needs to be erased. It was very important to me that I kept it factual and avoided villainizing the patients. That said, Bangers to Play on Richfield Way was written to show the fun, happy side of myself but portrays the illness the way the audience sees me, whereas all because of you frames it how it actually is. The best way I know how to get my point across is to get others to feel the emotion I want to portray. With Bold, the emotion is the title of the song. I want my audience to feel what I feel, therefore framing the song (along with its following tracks) and its lyrics to appear basic, angsty and exciting. 4. You’ve been working closely with producers Giovi Castillo and Brandt Moon since 2022. How has that creative partnership evolved from your debut album “Rev” to the explosive sound of “Bold”? Working with Giovi and Brandt on these projects in comparison to Rev is drastically different. With Rev, we didn’t care so much about relatability or how much someone will like it, we wanted to tell its story. While we still treated the project with love, we didn’t share the same experience making it as we did on this project. This time, we made songs from scratch and wrote in the studio, we did collective research on the topics, we used references from other genres, we shared our own personal stories and struggles and really connected with each other on a deeper level. Even just with Bold, we used different mixing techniques, songwriting styles and inspirations. I’m very proud to have them both on my team. 5. Even with its deeper themes, “Bold” has an uplifting and fearless energy that encourages listeners to feel empowered. Was creating that emotional contrast something you intentionally focused on while writing the track? When writing Bold, I had to completely reshape the way I write. I use metaphors, speak directly and focus on my problem at hand in previous songs. With this song, I focused more on a feeling rather than a particular incident. What did the 2000s feel like for me? It feels refreshing, bright, and freeing. What does it feel like when I’m at my best? I feel bold, courageous, I go to parties, I enjoy the moment. That’s the feeling I wanted my audience to have. Lyrically, the main goal was to write about the feeling rather than its action and consequence. 6. You’re planning a special live show on August 21st, 2026 to celebrate the album release. What can fans expect from the performance, and how do you want audiences to connect with these songs in a live setting? The release show is designed to feel like a music festival in 2008. It will include wristbands, tickets in the style of old 2000s concert tickets and festival VIP badges. The performance itself will feature every track from the EP and focuses on creating the illusion of 2008 and helps my audience visualize the rockstar and my journey via the music. Expect to arrive and feel the energy of Richfield Way and transport back to the 2000s. Addy Faith
Alla Igityan
Alla Igityan Exploring “Another Monday,” this interview with Alla Igityan delves into themes of escapism, gratitude, and change, alongside her Americana and folk storytelling roots, Berlin influence, and upcoming musical plans ahead. 1. “Another Monday” explores the idea of escaping to a paradise island but with an existential twist—what inspired this concept, and what message did you want listeners to take from it?I think we all sometimes wish we were somewhere else or living under different circumstances. But that also makes me wonder whether there’s any place or situation where we’d be fully content with every single thing, especially after a couple of years. I think I needed to hear the message of this song myself before I could convey it to listeners: sometimes your current reality is what you used to dream about, and it’s good to be reminded of that. 2. Your music is rooted in Americana and folk traditions—how do these genres help you express the emotional depth behind your storytelling?Storytelling is my favorite part of music, and I feel like Americana and folk are natural homes for storytellers. It’s amazing how a three- or four-minute country song can tell the whole story of someone’s life. There’s something so honest and beautiful about that. 3. Can you walk us through the songwriting process for “Another Monday”? Did the song come from a personal experience or a more imagined narrative?There’s a real place behind the imaginary paradise in this song: the tiny island of Culatra in Portugal. I was lucky enough to spend a few days there a couple of years ago, and I’ve been calling it my “happy place” ever since. The creation of “Another Monday” started with a songwriting prompt I saw online. I decided to write about an average Monday in my happy place. Once I closed my eyes, imagined being there, started humming the melody, and mumbled the first words, I found myself noticing the little annoying things too—the things I probably wouldn’t be as excited about if I were able to stay there long enough. It was one of those songs that took less than an hour to finish. And while it’s about a very specific “island situation,” I feel like it explores a deeper idea we’re all confronted with sometimes: wanting what we can’t have and taking what we already have for granted. 4. There’s often a contrast between the dream of escape and the reality we carry within us—how does this theme reflect your own perspective on life and change? I’m the kind of person who goes through changes all the time, and I think being courageous enough to face your fear of change can be very rewarding. Most of us might find ourselves at a point where our current reality feels far from what we envision for ourselves, or from that “dream of escape.” But if you know what you’re dreaming about, I think that’s already half the battle. 5. As an artist based in Berlin, how has the city influenced your sound and creative direction, especially within such a traditionally American genre?Berlin is definitely a special city. It has such a diverse music scene, and even an open mic on a random Tuesday can be incredibly inspiring. In just a couple of hours, you can meet and experience artists from all over the world sharing their music and stories. Being surrounded by so many talented musicians definitely keeps me motivated to keep working on my own music. 6. With “Another Monday” set for release on April 17, what are your plans moving forward—can fans expect more singles, an EP, or perhaps a full album in the near future?Definitely. I’m already working on a new single, and I’ve been writing more songs lately, so I hope I’ll be able to share more about an EP or album soon. Alla Igityan