Interview

After using her art to open the world’s eyes, M.I.A. has finally reached a sense of peace. But that doesn’t mean she’s through speaking her mind.

Following the musical iconoclast’s death at age 78—an in-depth conversation from 2002 that includes tales of dangerous old New York, what it meant to be a radical artist in the Vietnam era, and that time someone threw an ax at him onstage.

The sample-crazed DJ crew talk about why it took them so damn long to come out with their new album, Wildflower, and the anti-establishment undercurrent that runs through the record.

The iconoclastic artist talks about her politically-minded new electronic album, being deeply disappointed with the Obama presidency, and taking part in a system that doesn’t have humanity’s best interests at heart.

A peek into the life of Frankie Cosmos’ Greta Kline, whose music pinpoints minute details that can conjure monumental rushes of memory and emotion.

As the soul great's 1976 boudoir masterpiece turns 40, producer and co-writer Leon Ware talks about how one of the sexiest albums in music history came to be.

Following the release of her new album, which molds funk, art-rock, and jazz into a kinetic whole, Esperanza Spalding talks to Alex Frank about her exploratory alter ego, what it means to be a jazz musician now, and the genius of Joni Mitchell.

After his combustible band WU LYF flamed out, gravel-voiced frontman Ellery James Roberts created a soaring new project called LUH alongside his girlfriend, Ebony Hoorn. Ian Cohen talks to the duo about their forthcoming debut album.

With their 10th album out this month, all four members of Animal Collective sit down with Matthew Schnipper to look back on some of the most memorable songs of their career thus far. 

To make his new album as the Range, James Hinton scoured YouTube’s deepest corners to find webcam randos to sample in his tracks. But rather than searching for a superstar, Hinton was chasing something just as elusive: human connection.

As she readies RED•emp•tion, the final part of her current trilogy of albums, fearless R&B experimenter Dawn Richard talks with Rachel Syme about navigating the spaces between mainstream and underground, finding inspiration in literary titans like Oscar Wilde, and being the hero of her own story.

Best known as the musical engine behind Vampire Weekend, Rostam Batmanglij has become a go-to producer and songwriter, working with the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen and Charli XCX. Following the release of a new solo single, he talks to Ryan Dombal about where he's taking his sound next.

The eternally curious experimental duo talk to Philip Sherburne about the zen majesty of doing laundry and why they decided to base their new record on the sounds of their own washing machine.

After establishing herself as an ambassador for billowing, untethered R&B, Tinashe is looking to expand her sound—and reach—on her forthcoming second album, Joyride. By Eric Torres.

With their 10th album coming next month, the experimental rock stalwarts talk to Jeremy Gordon about finding inspiration in dinosaurs and cavemen, making connections between red and blue America, and whether they have anything left to prove.

Ryan Dombal gives the oracle of soul a call to talk about her stunning recent duet with André 3000, reaching out to a new generation, and her volunteer work helping people come to terms with death.

With his new album Mutant, experimental electronic maestro Alejandro Ghersi continues to use his ever-morphing sounds to break down binaries while delving deep into the flickering limbos between healing and chaos, masculine and feminine, and beauty and the grotesque. By Philip Sherburne.

Zak Stone travels to Rick Rubin's studio in Malibu to sit in on a listening session between the bearded sonic shaman and D.C. rapper GoldLink to find out what it means to be mentored by a legend and what to expect from the MC’s forthcoming debut album.