A trio of notable museum/gallery shows around sound and music close this upcoming weekend. I’ve wanted to write about them all summer, and feel like it’s important to note all three for the broader record—but one especially because it marks the emergence of an incredible multidisciplinary artist for whom musical archive and memory are creative form and subject.
The most obvious, and the one that’s received the most attention is Cooper-Hewitt’s “Art of Noise” which traces the history of music and design. The exhibit itself focuses on a mixture of artistic design (album covers, show posters, famous graphics) and music-listening product design (from space-age bachelor-pad hi-fi’s to first-generation iPods). I’ve heard musicking insiders whine a bit about the obviousness and the scattershod aspects of this part of the exhibit, and while I have some sympathies, I also recognize that the Smithsonian’s broad tacking of the subject will always have to veer towards more populist interests. Yes, this is eye-candy for folks with limited capacity for ear-candy but who want to see Peter Saville’s Joy Division “mountains” not on a bootleg tee; yet even here, the eye-candy’s lusciousness tells an interesting story of evolution from analog to digital, of scale and cultural importance.
The big ear-candy attraction at Art of Noise” is the museum’s creation of a dedicated sound-room, outfitted with a soundsystem by speaker designer-of-the-moment Devon Turnbull. Since January, this “HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3” has hosted various musicians, DJs, writers and musickers playing rare albums and unreleased recordings, purporting to present the next generation of soundsystem wonder. Personally, it did make me think harder about the preciousness of sound, its importance to the social fabric, and which spaces get to present which versions of sound, but also of the different values those presentations bring, especially within the context of class culture. All taking place in a moment when digital drives so much economic and knowledge disparity, yet analog can be afforded by fewer and fewer. In that way, “Art of Noise” a great thought-starter (Through August 16th, 10a-6p @ Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Uptown - FREE—$22)
The other two shows are at Amant, a “center for contemporary art” located on two sides of East W’burg’s Maujer Street that often hosts DJs/experimental music shows, a few of which I’ve featured in Bklyn Sounds over the years. The New Yorker just wrote a piece about how its in-house restaurant “put [the] museum on the map,” but I’d argue it’s simply another addition to a very smartly designed architecture, culture and ideas-space complex.
The show I was initially drawn to at Amant was “Kim Gordon: Count Your Chickens,” which was billed as a survey of Sonic Youth singer-bassist’s multi-disciplinary art work since 2007. For those unaware, Gordon has a long career adjacent to contemporary art having studied painting at Otis in LA, and her music has always been in conversation with great artists. The show is primarily a collection of oils and sketches, some iPhone photography blown up to supersize, and a single one-channel lo-fi video that Gordon scored. I found the work conceptually admirable but utterly incapable of connecting with it, though I have no doubt that for Gordon fans, there is more subtext than I gave myself over to.
But Gordon’s show was not the only one I saw at Amant, and that other exhibit, “Christelle Oyiri: Belief May Vary,” introduced me to a French artist whose work I have continued exploring and pursuing since my visit. (It’s easy: Oyiri happens to be an incredible DJ, under the name Crystalmess on NTS, and occasionally throws the “Edging” party around the world. She did so at Performance Space earlier this summer.) The central subject of “Belief May Vary” is the city of Memphis, Tennessee; and its central work is a newly commissioned video, Hauntology of an OG (co-directed by Neva Wireko), a hyperstylized portrait of the city, bathed in a Blade Runner-like dark beauty, interweaving its history (narrated by local poet/rapper Darius Phatmak Clayton), from its underground hip-hop voices to its civil rights events. The film’s primary recurring visual, prominent in Memphis’ skyline, is the Pyramid, the city’s longtime sports arena-turned-mall. According to the exhibit notes, “Oyiri’s research focuses on the tones, textures, and visual vernacular of music, popular cultures, and visual arts, both within and beyond the African diaspora.” Hence the ‘Belief[s]” in the exhibit’s title vary between what may have been spiritual on the continent, to what is economic by the banks of the Mississippi. Notions of how Memphis rap embodies both is shown through secondary pieces, silver lacquered cassette sculptures of prominent Memphis rap tapes by the likes of Three Six Mafia and 8Ball & MJG. “Belief May Vary” is Oyiri’s first solo show in the U.S. (Through August 16, Noon-6p/Friday Noon-9p @ Amant, East W’burg - FREE)
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Once upon a time Daveed Diggs was the “guy from clipping. acting in a Broadway musical,” with the West Coast experimental hip-hop trio affecting as much pop-marketplace pull as Hamilton. But that was already changing around the time Diggs, Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson dropped 2016’s Splendor & Misery, an industrially noisy, Afrofuturist “hip-hop space opera,” then-dismissed for its narrative pretensions but soon winning sci-fi awards and marked as a future classic. Ahead of Splendor & Misery’s Anniversary X reissue, clipping. has put together a mini-festival to celebrate the work, joined by an overflow of intuitionist and abrasive talents from the ven of the rap, synth and experimental universes. With SPELLLING, Shabazz Palaces, ELUCID, Fatboy Sharif, evicshen and Maria Chavez, this is one of the best bills of the summer. (Thurs 8/13, 6:30p @ Knockdown Center, Maspeth - $35)
Considering we’re in the Summer of New York, maybe it was meant to be that PS1’s Warm Up 2026 was gonna be greater than in recent years. So, here we are,celebrating another multi-cultural, (weather gods-willing) beautiful outdoor Friday happy hour/evening at the museum with Detroit house perennial Marcellus Pittman, Malian-French DJ/producer Moesha 13 blending global club sounds, avant-garde Guatemalan singer-cellist Mabe Fratti strapping on the global primitive roots, and old-school NYC musique concrete notable Lary 7 getting crazy with the cheez whiz. Around the world timeline in (less than) 80 sounds. (Fri 8/14, 4p @ PS1, Long Island City - $25-$40)
Before Bklyn/NYC audiences fully recognized the post-pandemic era of great overflowing local DJ talent, there were already members of next-gen signposting where the community was headed. Transplanting from Boston a decade ago, Dee Diggs, and her unapologetically Black, queer, tenets of house music-studying House of Diggs party, was foremost among them. As a DJ, Diggs is now much more global than local—and the string of vocal disco-house singles points to a different aspect of her career—so a Friday sunset freebie is a wonderful way to catch another of the greats we’re lucky to call ours. (Fri 8/14, 5p @ Lo Hi Rooftop, East W’burg - FREE w/RSVP)
One of the best things about writing Bklyn Sounds for 5 years now has been finding really fucking talented allies in corners of the local-music community I’ve aged out of. Though I don’t know the young folks publishing GUNKYARD/GUNK, a newsletter/showpaper based in greater Bushwood/Ridgewick, I absolutely adore their work and dedication to the cause. Where musically we overlap only a bit—GUNK focuses on local indie artists, lots of guitars and songwriters and “roots”—their taste in music consistently offers new listening directions, with uniformly excellent writing whose acknowledgement of a universal (or at least nationwide) DIY outlook is a welcome pivot from dumb NYC territorialismo. Best of all, the monthly printed piece published with the great Secret Riso Club (found at local indie book and record stores, plus some venues) is colorful, gorgeous and smart. Which is all to say, GUNK‘s 3rd Birthday Party is worth your time and support. Of the many artists playing and DJs spinning at the 12hr show, I only know a couple—both Jana Horn and Allegra Krieger are excellent tradition-minded songwriters—but, again, this is a place of discovery and recommendation, of trusting people who move into the unknown with sympathy and care. Rooting for them. Happy Birthday Gunk! (Sat 8/15, Noon @ Secret Riso Club, Bushwick - $25-$54)
The foundation of this big ol’ Saturday night Public Records whole-building DJ shindig is an all-night-long main room set by the mighty GE-OLOGY, one of the city’s best hip-hop-meets-house-meets-digger DJs/producers of the past two decades and still somehow barely known outside the immediate community. The rest of the building will also shake knowingly: our favorite long-serving British transplant Tom of England (Rub’n’Tug, Tonka Hi-Fi) teams up with Hiatt dB in the restaurant, while supreme digger Renata Do Valle holds it down upstairs. (Sat 8/15, 11p @ Public Records, Gowanus - $21-$31)
Barbie and Paul Love Injection return to their Public Records residency with special guests who might be their Dutch doppëlgangers. Kind of. Kamma & Masalo (K&M) are an Amsterdam duo responsible for Brighter Days, said to be among the best community-minded parties within that wonderful canal city’s fervent dance culture, as well as record label of some renown, a psychedelic disco staple. The two dance-music lifers are also part of the Rush Hour/Dekmantel stable, which makes for as good a pedigree as Amsterdam offers. (Sun 8/16, 3p @ The Nursery, Public Records, Gowanus - $21-$31)
Monday’s bill at N101 is topped by Andrew CS, a Cali-based multidisciplinarian and self-identifying “coder” whose mix of ambient drones, field recordings and bedroom pop percolated over at Leaving Records. But it’s the full bill, with its local openers, that is the attraction. So arrive early for Pink Must, More Eaze and Lynn Avery’s fantastic lo-fi, prog-pop group whose live performances veer into throwback-‘90s indie psychedelia; and for Maiya Blaney’s highly emotional songwriting, inspired by very different ‘90s sounds of big grunge guitars and post-junglist freneticism. Though the EP she dropped a couple of weeks back under the name Vulver, is glitch-drum-machine heaven. (Mon 8/17, 7p @ Nightclub 101, Manhattan - $20)
Excellent four-deep bill of sonic weirdos both local and far-flung. Headliners Soft as Snow are Berlin-residing Norwegians Oda Egjar Starheim and Øystein Monsen, who’ve been making noisy synthy “pop” for London’s avant-goth Houndstooth label since the early-’10s. They’re joined by the mighty Yaz Lancaster, strings-and-machines improvising driver of the great Heavy Hearts series, multi-instrumentalist/-disciplinary experimentalist Kwami Winfield, and electronic producer Sharp Veins, Harrison King, who is a decade into making indie/art-facing sounds in NYC. (Tues 8/18, 7p @ Union Pool, W’burg - $15-$20)
Amazing improvising trio at an uptown spot new to me! Veteran trumpeter/composer/writer Nate Wooley straddles new, creative and minimal musics from a heady conceptual side, often finding a pocket he’s not looking for. He’s on a first-name basis with Ryan Sawyer, a mighty drummer who veers between malleable rhythm keeping and free percussion flights of fancy. Guitarist Drew Wesley distorts the sound of the guitar by pairing it with objects, and pushing its textures into strange otherworlds. These three are uniquely qualified to make their collaboration sound like nothing else previously heard. (Tues 8/18, 7:30p @ Mise-en_Place, Harlem - $20)
L’Rain listening party (Thurs 8/13, 6p @ Wythe Hotel, W’burg - FREE w/RSVP) - Taja Cheek and team’s new album, fata morgana, continues the upward trajectory of, ahem, New York’s best rock band. They’re doing a listening event that begins at the Wythe, and goes on the road.
Sloppy Heads + Dump + Crazy Makers (Thurs 8/13, 7p @ Mama Tried, Sunset Park - $uggested) - the Heads, Bklyn’s great chooglers, return with their Mama Tried monthly, flanked by occasionally Sloppy (and full-time YLT) James Dump doing his bedroom pop thing; and the debut of a new trio featuring NYC avant-musickers David First, Jeff Tobias and Scott Smith.
Sylvie Courvoisier & Alden Hellmuth (Thurs 8/13, 7p & 9p @ Jazz Gallery, Manhattan - $27-$38) - an evening of duets between veteran pianist and excellent young saxophonist.
Lyricist Lounge 35th Anniversary featuring Jadakiss (Fri 8/14, 7p @ Lena Horne Bandshell, Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park - FREE) - it was once a “new rappers” live (and then compilation) series that gave first presented everyone from Biggie to Yasiin “Mos Def” Bey; hosting an NYC legend that the Zohran era can’t stop quoting.
Derrick Carter + Yasmeenah (Fri 8/14, 10p @ Nowadays, Ridgewood - $10-$26) - one of the longtime dons of Chicago house, alongside a young Minneapolis-to-Detroit transplant that rocks the dancefloor in a heavenly fashion.
cry$cross + Kfeelz + DJ Raqx (Fri 8/14, 10p @ Jupiter Disco, Bushwick - $11.50-$15) - a strong AF trio of locals rocking the techno-house-club decks of my favorite small-scale dancefloor.
Night & Day: Ivan Smagghe + Youandewan + Lauren Flax + Patrick Russell (Fri 8/14, 10p @ Signal, East W’burg - Discount—$45) - big overnight bill of techno/house all-timers
Gene Farris (Sat 8/15, 4p @ LoHi Rooftop, East W’burg - FREE w/RSVP) - ‘90s Chicago house legend playing a rooftop sunset set.
Yola + Dom Flemons and the Traveling Wildfires + Cleo Reed (Sat 8/15, 7p @ Lena Horne Bandshell, Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park - FREE) - Celebrate’s “Americana Night” opens with community star-in-the-making singer/songwriter Reed, and closes British country-soul powerhouse.
Angelica Sanchez Trio (Sat 8/15, 8p @ Barbés, Park Slope - $20) - local pianist Angelica (not be confused with another great local pianist, Marta) elevates every improvising ensemble she joins, whether rootsy or out; playing with saxophonist Michael Attias and bassist John Hebert.
Heat Wave: Egyptian Lover + Stacey Hotwaxx Hale + Bridge (Sat 8/15, 10p @ House of Yes, Bushwick - $40) - the father of LA electro, the Godmother of Detroit house, and a talented NYC-based house starlet.
GROOVY GROOVY Nonstop (Sat 8/15, 10p @ Nowadays, Ridgewood - $10-$38) - Akanbi’s now-legendary global rhythms party takes over Nowadays with a wall-to-wall bill: special mention to dancehall futurist Gavsborg at midnight, and South Asian-American drums-heavy duo Baalti at sunrise.
David Leon, Brandon Seabrook, Henry Fraser & Kayvon Gordon (Sun 8/16, 7:30p & 9p @ CloseUp, Manhattan - $25) - saxophonist/composer Leon leads a sparkling quartet of local “jazz” players.
AITIS Band (Sun 8/16, 8p @ Pianos, Manhattan - FREE) - lovely Chicago-based indie-pop trio with electronic and occasional spacey tendencies, features two ex Joan of Arc members.
Dada Strain @ L&SD: Lesley Mok + Tomin + Ali Berger (Sat 8/22, 7p @ Light & Sound Design Studios, Greenpoint) - Dada Strain returns to its favorite NYC arts loft for another presentation of rhythm-improvisation-community music. The mighty percussionist/sound artist Mok celebrates the recent release of their second solo album, transient, which mixes drums and machines in unexpectedly gratifying ways. My woodwinds- and reeds-playing brother Tomin brings some old and some new music he’s been messing around with—and maybe a friend. Ali Berger closes the night with one of his live-hardware, beat-wise electronic improvisations. More info HERE.
UPSTATE: Wave Farm + New Ear present Drive-In 4×4 (Sun 8/23, 5p @ Hi-Way Drive-In, Coxsackie, NY - $$$) - Two great contemporary arts organizations produce an epic video x audio program in an old drive-in theater: with Leila Bordreuil, Evicshen, Anamorph, Kyp Malone, Brian Chase, Geologist, Brendan Canty, Gladstone Deluxe, and Victoria Keddie live soundtracking silent-film selections from the Electronic Arts Intermix collection.
fabric New York presents Jeff Mills + Ben UFO + Craig Richards + Helena Hauff (Sat 9/5, 2p @ Under the K Bridge, Greenpoint - $$$) - Potentially, one of the great big dance parties of the summer, perfect to end the Summer of New York. May especially be a great space to see/hear Mills, under a futurist concrete structure, with space for 8k people.
UPSTATE: Body & Soul 30th Anniversary (Sat 9/5, 3p @ Locust Grove, Oak Hill, NY - $$$) - One of the city’s defining parties in the post-Garage era—forever helmed by three local legends: Francois K, Joe Claussell and Danny Krivit—throws itself another anniversary happening, this time in the heavenly creekside field of the Dope Jams compound. Adult- and kid-friendly, with great camping opportunities on-site/nearby. Pray for the weather.
Haruomi Hosono (Wed 9/16, 8p @ Radio City Music Hall, Midtown - $$$) - The 78 year-old co-founder of Yellow Magic Orchestra, and one of the seminal figures in 20th century Japanese popular, electronic and experimental music, is returning to the U.S. to support a new album also dropping in September.
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