Digest | Stories, Sounds & Culture

Could the roots of modern music in the United States all trace back to one place? From Congo Square to bounce, New Orleans has been the meeting point of African, Indigenous, Caribbean, and European traditions that shaped jazz, funk, and hip hop.

Solange’s True is one of the most slept-on records of the 2010s. With Dev Hynes at the controls, it channels deep house, boogie, and post-disco into a breakup record you can dance to.

Nick Hustles isn’t a real person. Neither is Velvet Sundown. As AI-generated bands rack up streams, we’re forced to confront a new reality: what if the music we love isn’t human at all?

Addison Rae’s debut album isn’t what you’d expect. Minimal, moody, and surprisingly left-field, Addison pulls from the textures of club music and lo-fi electronica to deliver something stylish and restrained.

Shoegaze may have faded from the spotlight in the 1990s, but a new generation is bringing it back. From TikTok to Spotify, the genre has found new relevance in an introspective digital age.

Shoegaze emerged from British and Irish indie scenes in the late '80s, defined by layered guitars, soft vocals, and dreamy textures. This post explores how the genre was born and why it still resonates.