Music journalists are often the subject of caricature, and while they can technically be skewered in all sort of ways, they tend be characterized as either A) overzealous cheerleaders who’ve been allowed to indulge their fandom with unnecessarily flowery prose, or B) aging, out-of-touch elitists who yell at clouds while endlessly talking about how good things used to be.
There are nuggets of truth in both of those stereotypes, but in recent years, I’ve noticed the emergence of a new type of music journalist: the wistful mourner. Most of these figures are indeed “older,” or are at least old enough to remember a time before all music writing became “content” and talk of the algorithm became paramount. And though they do approach the craft with a certain level of anger, that anger is directed not at the proverbial “kids” and how they’re supposedly doing music wrong, but the unaccountable corporate platforms and unchecked capitalism that has completely upended the culture industries during the past two decades. These writers are not longing for a return to the ’90s, but they do openly pine for that era’s idealism and optimism, along with the opportunities it afforded for independent music practitioners—including artists, labels, publications, venues and, yes, journalists—to build something resembling a sustainable practice.
One such elegy—that word was literally in the essay’s title—went live on Hearing Things just yesterday. Penned by Jill Mapes, it’s streaked with melancholy, as she laments the recent layoffs at Brooklyn Vegan, Alternative Press, Revolver and Goldmine, all of which were initiated by someone at a Live Nation-affiliated company who decided that these longstanding outlets simply weren’t profitable enough. She later talks about her own layoff from Pitchfork—along with approximately 50% of her colleagues—back in 2024. It’s a moving piece, and before she’s through, she even manages to find sympathy for the up-and-coming crop of Gen Z music influencers who are attempting to eke out a living on social media, despite the fact that doing so often involves engaging in payola-like behavior that Mapes (and many others of her generation) find distasteful.
Again, it’s not that pessimism is new to music journalism, but this kind of pessimism, in which writers observe what looks like the crumbling of a decades-old media and culture infrastructure and largely resign themselves to the idea that there’s not much that can be done about it, feels like something different. Is this sort of messaging resonating with younger audiences? It’s hard to know, especially since so few of them have been afforded the chance to become working music journalists and provide their own commentary, but in the meantime, at least some of the old guard—or what’s left of it—are piecing together these eulogy-like missives.
One such missive was actually published earlier this week by First Floor. Truth be told, I don’t think it’s an especially sad piece, but it does put contemporary music journalism under the microscope. More specifically, it offers some thoughts about why the notion that music journalism is “fake” has gained so much traction in recent years, highlighting changes in the industry that have undermined—and continue to degrade—its reputation with the public.
A link to that piece can be found below—and yes, the paywall is now (temporarily) down—and if you keep scrolling, you’ll also find the rest of today’s First Floor digest. The August heat, not to mention yesterday’s solar eclipse, have definitely slowed the electronic music world’s velocity a little bit, but as always, the past week has produced all sorts of interesting developments. I’ve put together a round-up of the most relevant happenings, along with a list of all the new records that have landed in First Floor’s Recommended Releases section. In other words, there’s more than enough here to keep you busy—and, hopefully, satisfied.
Let’s get started.
Every week, First Floor publishes a long-form piece that’s initially made available to paid subscribers only. But if you’re not part of the paid tier, now’s your chance to see what you missed! The latest piece is now open to everyone, and it’s an essay examining why faith in music journalism has notably declined, and why even the most reputable writers, editors and publications are now being forced to continually reckon with claims that their work is “fake.”
Why Music Journalism Feels Fake
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Aug 11
At the Dekmantel festival a couple of weeks ago, First Floor hosted a panel called “Music Journalism - What’s Real and What’s Fake?” Sadly, I don’t think we managed to come up with a concrete answer over the course of an hour, but the mere existence of that conversation points to a very real phenomenon: a sizable portion of the listening public
A round-up of the most interesting electronic music news from the past week, plus links to interviews, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.
It seems that Spotify has gotten the message that many people really, really don’t like AI, and in an effort to signal concern about the issue, the company this week announced that it would be introducing a new “AI Persona” badge, which it will soon be applying to any artist profile that “does not represent a real person.” (More importantly, the streaming giant claims that it will “not include AI Personas in any editorial or algorithmic recommendations.”) Although the badges will be applied to profiles that self-identify as AI, Spotify says it “won’t rely on self-disclosure alone.” In the months ahead, users will be given the chance to report profiles they suspect are AI-generated, but the company also notes that any profile that is slapped with a badge will be “notified and given the opportunity to self-disclose or appeal.”
Late last week, it was announced that William Orbit—the UK artist and producer who famously worked with the likes of Madonna (on Ray of Light, no less), Blur, Kraftwerk, Prince, Britney Spears and countless others—had passed away on July 23 at the age of 69. Tributes have poured in, including a heartfelt message from the Queen of Pop herself, and while many media outlets have covered Orbit’s death, The Guardian has really gone all out, publishing a detailed obituary by Adam Sweeting and also getting Alexis Petridis to assemble a round-up of the late artist’s 12 greatest recordings. In fairness, electronic music heads could definitely put together a different (and probably superior) list, but for something more personal, I’d recommend this remembrance that Apiento penned for Test Pressing, in which he shared both several gems from Orbit’s catalog and his own memories of what it was like to work alongside the man in the studio.
Over the past few years, there’s been a lot of chatter in electronic music circles about the state of Berlin’s club scene, which—at least as far as the scuttlebutt is concerned—clearly seems to be in some sort of decline. Earlier this week, that sentiment was backed up, at least in part, by a new report from the city’s Clubcommission, which found that only 61% of Berlin clubs are currently turning a profit. (In 2017, that number was 79%.) Other key takeaways include the fact that beverage sales are down significantly, and as a result, admission prices now account for a much higher percentage of revenues. A sizable income gap has also opened up, with just 7% of venues reporting revenues of more than €2 million, while 45% are generating €100,000 or less.
Night Slugs was without question one of the defining labels of the post-dubstep era, and while the UK outpost has never shut its doors, its lone remaining founder, Bok Bok, has maintained a relative low profile in recent years, particularly when it comes to talking to the press. This week, however, the London mainstay popped up in the latest edition of Mixmag’s weekly mix / interview series, The Mix, and though it includes a new 75-minute session that consists entirely of Bok Bok’s own productions, the conversation with journalist Patrick Hinton is even more revelatory. Rather than looking back at Night Slugs’ legacy, the two talk about what the label is up to right now, and where it fits into the contemporary dance music landscape. They also spend a lot of time discussing how from a production standpoint, Bok Bok is feeling more confident than ever, and has developed a sound rooted in a unique vision of house music.
Baker’s Dozen is a recurring feature in The Quietus where artists are asked to share 13 records that impacted their lives, and the most recent installment features selections from experimental artist Flora Yin-Wong, who talks to Alastair Shuttleworth about a variety of topics, including her childhood love of chart pop, alt-rock and R&B.
My first book is out now. It’s called First Floor Vol. 1: Reflections on Electronic Music Culture, and you can order it from my publisher Velocity Press. However, if you’re outside of the UK, I recommend that you either inquire at your favorite local bookshop or try one of the online sales links that have been compiled here.
A round-up of noteworthy new and upcoming releases announced during the past week.
When it comes to resumes, there aren’t many figures in electronic music whose achievements can even compare with those of Suzanne Ciani, but did you know that the pioneering synthesist and composer at one point had an alter ego named Steve? The moniker was apparently born out of her experiments with an Eventide H 949 harmonizer during the late ’70s and early ’80s. The device allowed her to pitch shift her voice, and as she explains, “my natural voice became re-invented as what was clearly a gay man, who I called Steve.” Assuming that male persona, she made a handful of songs, including one with Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream. Several decades later, three of those songs have now been compiled onto an upcoming release for the Dark Entries label called Out of the Closet. It’s slated to arrive on August 14, but in the meantime, the aforementioned collab with Baumann, “Steve Goes to a Party,” has already been shared.
After first emerging as Headhunter, Bristol producer Antony Williams made a major switch-up in 2010, adopting the name Addison Groove and experimenting with a wider range of low-end-centric club sounds. Sixteen years later, he’s now ready to debut a completely different endeavor, Astel, in which he can “[step] away from the rhythmic intensity of the dancefloor, turning instead towards stillness, atmosphere and a more contemplative way of listening.” Teaming up with Biofield, the deep listening-focused imprint from SPE:C founder Darwin, he’ll soon be releasing an ambient-leaning album—his first as Astel—called Shards. September 14 is the official release date, but LP cut “Sennen” is available now.
Throughout his career, Axel Boman has been known as part of the founding triumvirate of Studio Barnhus, but the fun-loving Swede has now decided to start up an imprint of his own. It’s called Blurry, and it officially launched this week with “True Crime,” a collaborative single from Boman and veteran producer Superpitcher. That’s available now, but it’s actually just the first taste of Tell It to the Mountain, a complete full-length that the two artists made together, apparently after going on a marathon hike to Sweden's Helags Glacier. The LP is due to land on September 25, and more details about the record can be found here.
For years, Florentino’s Club Romantico label has primarily been an outpost for up-and-coming producers, many of them either based in Latin America or otherwise connected to its global diaspora. Yet the Manchester-based imprint clearly knows that what it’s doing now wouldn’t have been possible if other figures hadn’t laid some groundwork and opened up the Eurocentric club circuit to sounds and rhythms from the Global South. Daniel Pineda, who’s probably best known as of half of Nguzunguzu, is one such figure, and while he’s dropped a few things here and there in recent years—a fact he discussed during a 2022 interview with First Floor—his new Heavy Fact / De La Mama release is not just his Club Romantico debut; it’s something that forges a connection between different generations of club music. Inspired both by “heightened anxiety & frustration at the global state of things” and his “new life as a father,” the two-track offering is out now.
Speaking of club music with ties to the Global South, Doctor Jeep continues to be one of that circuit’s most reliable producers, particularly for those with a hunger for bass-heavy sounds. The NYC-based artist will soon be returning to Kaizen—the label headed up by fellow low-end fiend Madam X—with a new EP. Dia de Los Muertos will be his second release on the imprint, and though it’s scheduled to surface on September 18, the record’s title track has already been shared.
Coki is a towering figure in dubstep history, and will forever be associated with DMZ, but he seems to have found a new home on Tempa, which of course is a legendary outpost in its own right. After dropping Crystal Lake—a collection of archival material—on the label last year, he’s now assembled Red Rocks, an EP of all-new tunes that will be released on August 28. More details on that can be found here, but lead single “We Nah Business”—a collaboration with Durrty Goodz—is already out.
Following up on Hodge’s Wiggler / Trust EP from earlier this year, the Local Action label has enlisted a couple of top-notch remixers—Eris Drew and Om Unit—to put their spin on the Bristol artist’s tunes. The resulting remix EP dropped this week, and is available in full now.
Although naemi emerged from the same scene that produced ambient / experimental faves like Ulla and perila, the Berlin-based artist tends to maintain a low profile, quietly slipping out new releases without much fanfare. One of those releases dropped last week; billed as a spontaneous EP of “dreamy, poppy bits,” it’s called splint, and it’s out now.
The following is a summary of First Floor’s favorite new releases that came out during the past week or so. The blurbs below are only brief excerpts of the full write-ups; to read the complete recommendation (and hear the actual music) for an individual release, click the “Listen to the Music + Read the Full Write-Up” link, or you can also just head over to this convenient Buy Music Club list if you prefer to listen to all of the selections in one place.
… With its source material collected on a handheld recorder during a month-long power outage that followed Hurricane Helene, after the deluge is the sound of someone witnessing the things that typically provide the greatest comfort—home, community, the quiet routines of daily existence—after they’ve been stripped of their familiarity and distorted in the shadows of a dark new reality. [LISTEN TO THE MUSIC + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
… Communicating through billowing clouds of sheet metal interference and shuddering bass spasms, dub provocateur Al Wootton and electroacoustic explorer Irene Bianco present an album obsessed with material and its manipulation. [LISTEN TO THE MUSIC + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
… This time around, he’s enlisted Japanese artist Friday Night Plans, and on lead track “Miss U,” her breathy, melancholy-streaked vocals immediately recall the work of Portishead’s Beth Gibbons. The Bug himself also taps into a vintage trip-hop vibe, channeling the slow-motion, quasi-industrial grind of Mezzanine-era Massive Attack as he layers reverb-soaked chords atop a patiently thumping drum pattern. [LISTEN TO THE MUSIC + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
… It’s a beautiful, sprawling record, one in which Murphy’s voice—which sounds not dissimilar to that of the Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser—streams out across Montgomery’s shimmering sheets of reverb-soaked guitar. The ’80s dream-pop vibes are strong, but the album never comes off as pastiche, largely because the duo are so firmly dedicated to the art of the slow burn. [LISTEN TO THE MUSIC + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
… The Balearic Islands aren’t typically associated with feelings of existential dread, but nueen—a native Mallorcan who’s based in Barcelona—makes music that’s dripping with angst and apprehension. Drinking heavily from the wells of lean-addled Southern rap, woozy grime and gritty UK drill, he’s gradually settled into a kind of psychedelic greyscale, outfitting his low-end-heavy beat excursions with blurred textures, ominous rumbles and twitchy sound design. [LISTEN TO THE MUSIC + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
… It’s Farewell Phoenix’s voice that proves to be the record’s most affecting ingredient, piercing the otherwise idyllic atmosphere with beautifully haunted melodies and a palpable depth of emotion. Between the tenor of her singing and penchant for multitracking, some comparisons to Enya are all but inevitable, but rather than looking to “sail away,” Fister remains tethered to the ground, allowing her joys and sorrows alike to soak into the soil. [LISTEN TO THE MUSIC + READ THE FULL WRITE-UP]
That brings us to the end of today’s First Floor digest. Thank you so much for reading the newsletter, and remember, you can find all of this week’s recommended releases on this handy Buy Music Club list. (If you like them, please buy them.)
Until next time,
Shawn
First Floor is published and overseen by Shawn Reynaldo, a freelance writer, editor, presenter and project manager. Find him on LinkedIn and Instagram—and make sure to follow First Floor on Instagram as well—or you can just drop Shawn an email to get in touch about projects, collaborations or other potential opportunities.
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