Gwenno definitely lives through her art. I sat down with the musician and producer to trace a decade-long arc from home-built studios to a Mercury-nominated breakthrough, and into Utopia—an album that weaves Welsh, Cornish, and English into vivid, human pop. The conversation opens with a simple idea that grows larger as we go: language changes what music can say. Welsh brings political sharpness; Cornish opens a deep, interior cave of comfort and myth; English, returned to with intent, becomes a map of places, people, and time. Along the way, we talk about recording at home with Rhys Edwards, the porous line between family and work, and why songs feel more vital as the world gets more digital.

I found it really refreshing how Gwenno doesn’t hold back when it comes to talking taste, technology, and the future of culture. She pushes back on AI’s promise not with fear but with a clearer definition of progress: if a tool only accelerates the past, it can’t point to new worlds. We unpack Adam Curtis, Mark Fisher, and the feeling of living in a loop, then rediscover hope by looking at how scenes are actually made—people in spaces, collaging references into something surprising. That’s where psychedelia lives for her: in the crack where a wildflower appears, in non-linear time, in the human mistake that turns into the moment you remember.

Follow Gwenno on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/gwennosaunders

Buy / Listen to Utopia on Bandcamp

https://gwenno.bandcamp.com/album/utopia

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

What does it mean to make music that faces the harshest truths while still holding beauty and hope? Peter Silberman of The Antlers seems to have made contemplating this question a major theme of his life's work, crafting albums that dive deep into emotional and existential territories without losing sight of sonic beauty.

On the eve of releasing The Antlers' seventh album "Blights," Silberman spoke with me about how environmental concerns and our accelerating consumption have shaped his newest work. Rather than creating music that points fingers, Silberman examines his own complicity in environmental harm. "I hadn't yet heard music that acknowledges this unwilling participation in these problems and the guilt around it," he shares, noting how our modern world makes it "almost impossible not to be part of the problem.”

We spoke about The Antlers' twenty-year history, from Silberman's early days navigating Brooklyn's music scene to the creation of "Hospice," often described as one of the saddest albums ever made. There’s something method-like about how he maintains emotional authenticity when performing older material, likening it to "inhabiting a character or persona... playing myself at a different age." Throughout, Silberman's thoughtful approach to music-making shines through, particularly in his deliberate use of quietness and space as counterpoints to our increasingly noisy, distracted world.

Follow The Antlers on Instagram:
👉 The Antlers Instagram

Buy / Listen to Blight on Bandcamp:
👉 Blight on Bandcamp

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

DJ, producer and multidisciplinery artist Silvia Jiménez Alvarez, better known as JASSS, makes work that spans raw industrial intensity, fragile emotional depth, and immersive audiovisual collaborations.

Her debut album Weightless (iDEAL, 2017) marked her as one of the most exciting new voices in electronic music, blending noise, dancefloor frequencies and experimental atmospheres. With her follow-up A World Of Service on Ostgut Ton, she expanded her vision into a full sensory world, working with visual artist Ben Kreukniet to create a touring AV show that didn’t hold back.

As her new album Eager Buyers emerges, I joined her for a chat about her beginnings in Spain, discovering metal through Soulseek, her journey through Berlin’s underground scene, how discomfort in art can provide a place of joy and the Mark Fisheresque anti-nostalgia that not only pervades her new work but feels kind of zeitgeist in these uncertain times.

Listen to JASSS – Eager Buyers
  Bandcamp

Follow JASSS on Instagram
  @jasss_inc

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Alexander Tucker sits down with me to explore the twists and turns of his sound on his new MICROCORPS album "Clear Vortex Chambers." Our conversation takes us through a creative rebirth, sparked by crucial production advice from Regis (Karl O'Connor) that transformed his approach to electronic music and helped him to scrap a years work and start again.

Like Sudan Archives last week, Tucker is fundamentally a visual thinker – "I feel like I'm a painter and probably never should have got into music" – yet this visual sensibility is precisely what gives his soundscapes such distinctive character. He describes creating music as "digging up a modem or electronic equipment that's all rusted and covered in earth," where "nature has somehow moved in and mutated it." You can feel this fusion of organic and technological elements seep across his work, creating something both familiar and otherworldly.

Growing up in Kent surrounded by ancient forests and sandstone formations, Tucker absorbed the layered history of his environment. This sense of "peeling back the past" continues to be an influence, whether working with an acoustic guitar and a 4-track or modular synthesis. We delve into his creative partnerships with Stephen O'Malley, Nick Colk Void and others, with Tucker beautifully describing collaboration as "giving each other these chunks of your life."

Whether you're familiar with Tucker's extensive catalog or discovering him for the first time, this conversation offers remarkable insight into an artist who refuses to be confined by genre boundaries or conventional thinking. Listen now and journey through the clear vortex chambers of Alexander Tucker's musical universe.

Listen to MICROCORPS:
🎧 Bandcamp | Macrocorpse – 2021–2024 | XMIT

Follow Alexander Tucker on Instagram:
📸 @alexandertucker_oldfog

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Sudan Archives aka LA-based composer, producer, performer and violinist Brittney Parks burst out of LA’s experimental electronic scene in 2017 with a distinctly visual approach to music making and a deep love of violin. 

One of the things that makes Sudan Archives' sound so captivating is her revolutionary approach to this instrument. Learning by ear in church rather than through classical training, Parks developed unconventional techniques through pure experimentation. Discovering that an amplified electric violin produces percussive sounds when struck, collecting "stone age violins" that connect her to the instrument's global heritage, and playing upside down on a stripper pole – these unorthodox approaches have yielded a sound that has moved through breakout moments like Come Meh Way to the upfront party energy of her new album, The BPM.

The name Sudan Archives itself tells a fascinating story. Originally a nickname suggested by her mother during Parks' journey of cultural self-discovery, it took on deeper significance when she found striking parallels between Sudanese folk music and other global violin traditions. This cross-cultural connection resonated with her own experience seeking representation as a Black violinist. Though sometimes misunderstood, the name reflects what I really feel is a genuine passion for violin cultures worldwide and her own musical journey.

When I caught up with Brittney, she discussed her evolution from bedroom producer to innovative artist, her experience with imposter syndrome at Stones Throw Records, and how her latest work embraces a more playful, sometimes "silly" aesthetic that might surprise longtime fans. "The BPM" drops October 17th on Stones Throw – prepare for a boundary-pushing journey that honors the house and techno traditions of Detroit and Chicago while remaining unmistakably, uniquely Sudan Archives.

Pre-order and preview tracks fromSudan Archives’ The BPM here

Follow Sudan Archives on Instagram: @sudanarchives

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Somehow, Devendra Banhart’s landmark album Cripple Crow is 20 years old. An album that somehow joined an ancient American spirit of song with a just-around-the-corner iPhone generation. So when he joined me on Lost and Sound, I presumed this would be our focus. But instead, right from the beginning, the conversation veered into completely unexpected territory.

Banhart, who first rose to prominence in the early 2000s as a leading figure in the freak-folk movement and has since evolved into a multidisciplinary artist, opens up about the intimate relationship between creativity and humility. “You cannot show up at the gates with arrogance, with hubris, with ego,” he explains, describing his approach to making art.

We dive into what makes music emotionally resonant, with Banhart outlining his theory that great songs must speak to “the body, the heart, and the mind.” This somehow connects to asking, “Where’s Macarena now?”, and to crying over the mournful qualities of Van McCoy’s disco classic The Hustle.

Way more a conversation than an interview, and that’s a good thing. Throughout, Banhart demonstrates a remarkable wariness of certainty, describing it as “the most frightening attribute of a human being.” It’s a philosophical stance that informs not just his music but his entire worldview on the day we spoke, suggesting that the best art emerges from questioning rather than knowing.

⸻

Listen to Devendra Banhart’s music on Bandcamp
https://devendrabanhart.bandcamp.com/album/flying-wig

Preorder Cripple Crow (20th Anniversary Reissue) here.https://devendrabanhart.com/

Follow Devendra Banhart on Instagram:
📸 @devendrabanhart

\https://www.instagram.com/devendrabanhart/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

⸻

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Mabe Fratti is everywhere these days, and for good reason. The Guatemalan-born, Mexico City-based cellist, vocalist, and composer has built a formidable reputation for creating music that seamlessly blurs between experimental pop and improvisation.

We got into one, exploring Mabe's journey from her religious upbringing in Guatemala to becoming a consistently innovative artist. She candidly shares how playing improvisational cello in a 5,000-capacity neo-Pentecostal church connected her to "the spiritual part of music" – an experience that would shape her artistic approach for years to come. When a Goethe Institute residency brought her to Mexico City, she discovered free improvisation that felt "like being a child again," setting her on a path of constant musical exploration.

Mabe talks about embracing vulnerability and uncertainty. Rather than pursuing a signature sound, she approaches each project with different visions – from her collaborative work with Amor Muere and Titanic to her solo albums. "I am the one who changes my mind very fast," she admits, discussing how her latest album title "Sentir Que No Sabes" (Feel Like You Don't Know) reflects her comfort with constant evolution.

Throughout our discussion, Mabe offers wisdom on navigating creative doubts through playing, meaningful conversations, and continuous learning. As she puts it: "If I feel doubt in this, why not explore that doubt through learning?" 

Mabe’s new album with Titanic, "Hagen" is available from September 5th 

Check it out on Bandcamp

Listen to Mabe Fratti’s music on
 Bandcamp

Follow Mabe Fratti on Instagram:
 @mabefratti

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

What does it mean to "Be More Weatherall"? This question looms deep in my conversation with Jagz Kooner, one-third of the pioneering electronic trio Sabres of Paradise, as we explore the reissue of their groundbreaking first two albums and reflect on the enduring legacy of the late Andrew Weatherall.

Thirty years after their original release, Sabersonic and Haunted Dancehall have been given the reissue treatment by Warp Records, coinciding with a reformation of the band  for performances at Sydney Opera House and Primavera Sound, amongst places. Jagz gets into how a serendipitous chain of events – beginning with a Q&A at the Golden Lion in Todmorden and the discovery of a forgotten live recording – led to this unexpected new chapter for a project that helped move rave culture beyond the confines of nightclubs.

Throughout our conversation, Weatherall's spirit looms large. His philosophy of "don't look back, every day is year zero" initially made Jagz hesitant to revisit past work, until Weatherall's partner Lizzie offered a poignant perspective: "There is no looking forward now he's gone. All we've got is what he gave us." I get the impression of a real lack of the usual get-the-band-back-together cynicism for this project.

The interview also traces Jagz' evolution from bedroom DJ to acclaimed producer, known for his signature fusion of electronic precision with rock and roll grit. From his work with Primal Scream on "Swastika Eyes" to his game-changing remix for The Charlatans (which inspired Eddie Temple Morris to start his influential radio show), Jagz has consistently embodied Weatherall's ethos of experimentation and boundary-pushing.

Here’s the weekly links section for the Jagz Kooner episode, in your fixed Lost and Sound template style, with the artist-specific links swapped in:

Listen to The Sabres of Paradise via Warp’s Bandcamp

Follow Jagz Kooner:

 Website

 Instagram

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear and sponsors of Lost and Sound. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Damian Lazarus joins me for a wide-ranging conversation tracing his path from the early 2000s electroclash scene to his position today as one of dance music’s most consistently influential figures.

We talk about how it all began — from getting his first DJ residency at 16, to working as music editor at Dazed and Confused, to his A&R role at City Rockers, where he helped shape the early sound of electroclash alongside labels like Gigolo and Turbo. He shares stories from that era: warehouse parties in Shoreditch, impromptu gigs in disused toilets, and encounters with everyone from The Strokes to Jarvis Cocker.

We also get into what came next: founding Crosstown Rebels, building immersive events like Day Zero and Get Lost, and working with artists like Jamie Jones, Francesca Lombardo, and Maceo Plex.

Damian also talks candidly about sobriety, how it affected his creative process during the making of his Magickal album, and what changed for him on a personal level. He describes the early signs — creative blocks, burnout — and the shifts that followed once he made the decision to stop.

We cover a lot: longevity in music, what it means to stay curious, and how looking back at music’s past helps him think about where things might go next.

Listen to Damian Lazarus’ music:

🎧 Bandcamp | Crosstown Rebels Bandcamp

Visit Damian Lazarus’ website:

🌐 damianlazarus.com

Follow Damian Lazarus on Instagram:

📸 @damianlazarus

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Thanks also Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear. Not only that, but sponsors of this very podcast. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Bored on the beach this August? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Emerald has built a name as a leading voice representing UK underground club culture, we spoke as she steps into a new chapter as label owner and producer. From growing up as "the laptop DJ" on the outskirts of London to becoming a champion of underground sounds on Rinse FM and beyond.

Standing six feet tall, mixed-race, and bisexual, she describes feeling like "a clumsy giraffe on roller skates" yet transforms this feeling of otherness into her greatest strength. The origins of her new label Precious Stones—named after herself and sisters Sapphire and Ruby—reflect both personal heritage and her vision for music that transcends conventional boundaries.

Throughout our conversation, Emerald dismantles industry myths with a refreshing and down to earth honesty. She questions the often contradictory definitions of "underground" culture, challenges networking norms that feel forced, and advocates for spaces where revolutionism and anti-establishmentarianism can flourish. 

Listen to Emerald’s music on Bandcamp

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.

Huge thanks to Lost and Sound’s sponsor Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.