"I think we have to be at peace with that.”

I wrote a chapter for the Oxford Handbook of Electronic Music.

In the essay, entitled "Here’s where you’ll find me this month": Music Press and the Myth of Hypermobility as a Metric for Success, I drew on the concept of imperial modes of living. Examining the entrepreneurial nature of certain touring schedules, I argued that the press and the wider music industry help safeguard the exclusivity of these elite mobilities by selectively rendering their supposed benefits visible, while obscuring their extractive nature. I basically incorporated some of the arguments I had been developing during the early years of writing this newsletter.

The chapter was commissioned by Luis Manuel Garcia-Mispireta, who co-edits the book alongside Robin James, and is the author of Together Somehow (2023). Luis was part of the jury of my PhD thesis, a thesis which was largely more about dance music and writing but in which I briefly alluded to climate justice issues. After the defence in February 2023, I thought I was done with academia but Luis convinced me to articulate these arguments into an essay, as public discussions about the sustainability implications of certain touring lifestyles are still relatively recent–perhaps even taboo? I managed to send the final draft out before sailing across the Atlantic and it was finally published a couple of weeks ago.

As a matter of fact, it turned out that the press' relationship to this North American tour somewhat exemplified the ideas explored in the essay. I did get a handful of requests to portray it in publications but I had some concerns, including not wanting to be at the center of a conversation that transcends individual actions. Interest in the sailboat, Amtrak and bus adventures from publications, newsletters, podcasts or panel programs remained very limited. I often thought of Simon Reynolds’ words in his 2019 Conceptronica piece: “It's as though the politicization of electronic music demanded visibility.” (All that said, Chal Ravens did just interview me for the second No Tags book which comes out at the end of the year.)

In good news, collective organising is happening! Courts Circuits, a French initiative led by Technopol in collaboration with Collectif des Festivals, DJs4CA and Music Declares Emergency is currently sending French-Moroccan artist Vel on a slow tour which will take her on 10 gigs across Europe. Aside from this tour, the initiative is striving to share resources as well as gathering cultural actors to get them to work together.

A FICTION

I’m currently making my way through Stephen Markley’s 900 page The Deluge. Starting nowadays, the novel expands two decades into the future. By 2036, humanity has been experiencing “two years of the highest food prices since World War II triggered famines in nine countries, experienced the worst downturn since Covid-19, and at least three documented genocides.” It includes details of how capitalism-induced disrupted weather patterns, extreme politics, surveillance systems and AI have propelled the US into a future that seems dystopian but also kinda … already very much here?

One of the main characters, Kate Morris, is being criticised for “trying to lifestyle brand our way to better consumption in an extinction event”. She, herself, says: “I get it. It get why people look at me like, ‘I’m fucking sick of these whacky socialist bitches trying to take away my hamburger.’ Hell, even I’m sick of Greta. (…) I’m sick of the perverse media logic that takes this elemental emergency and juices it through the filter of celebrity at every opportunity.” Thus, echoing some of the frustrations I articulated above.

It’s a polyphonic story so she’s at times presented as problematic, at others inspirational. Towards the end, Kate admits: “Even if we succeed, it’ll be generations before the emergency ends. I think we have to be at peace with that.”

A RELEASE

My friend xin, who has helped me with many newsletters and writes their own, is releasing an album this week on appendix.files. 

The album is accompanied by “… a risograph zine carrying two freshly inked texts, hospicing dance music and unsustainability”. The texts echo many of the private conversations I’ve had with Ollie and deepen “the album’s excavation of burnout, precarity, and climate dread, circling the uneasy question of how to keep moving when the floor is collapsing, and what might grow from composted ruins of current practice.” Highly recommended!

Some of my favorite quotes from the text:

“While promo might have you believe that dance music is a “site of resistance”, an angle I know there is at least a tiny kernel of truth in, I think this tired, romantic framing lacks substance. What exactly is being resisted and how? These are so rarely named that the term ‘resistance’ itself becomes a hackneyed phrase parroted by promoters left right and centre (yes I’m pleased with that one), deeply entangled with the interests of capital—from embeddedness in the attention economy to reliance on booze sponsorships and budget airlines, or hidden ownership structures making it all possible. Materially, I think these logics are just capitulated to, time and time again.”

“… To hold urgency without despair (Rob Burbea, The Loving Kindness (Metta) Retreat). I hear that delicate dissonance between that pain, but also the possibility and potential. For me, so much of this work has been to let go of avoidance and stay with the trouble, grapple with the Gordian knot in all its complexity and immensity. There must be a way through. What ways of living might continue or might we transition to, and what are their capacities for embodied pleasures, for joy?”

The music is somewhere between T++, Gyrofield, insect sounding snares and the less predictable corners of low-end psychedelia. My favorite track is “compost believes in life after death” - Dance music is dead. Long live dance music!

A THANK YOU

After five years of dreaming up with Eilidh McLaughlin at POLY., I just joined a new booking agency.

I think agenting is an underrated and often misunderstood role in our culture. I was Eilidh’s only artist, and given my commitment and profile, it was clear that she did it out of passion. She worked tirelessly to make flight-free itineraries possible in an industry and landscape that made this extremely difficult, and she also supported me emotionally in my endeavors. Many of the people who managed to invite me, or hear me in recent years, owe it to her—directly or indirectly, visibly or, more often, through her less visible faith and dedication. Thank you Eilidh, you truly are one of a kind!

Antoine Hernandez at Useless Seconds will now be dealing with my bookings. Antoine also supports Jan Loup, Marino2, Marylou, Salma Rosa and Souzo. He has previously worked for Positive Education, pe:rsona and he curates the label and nights Useless Seconds.

A TRANSITION

More gratitude coming in! I recently sent a final Substack post, explaining why I was leaving the platform. A new wave of readers subsequently started supporting my work through Ghost. 

For their ongoing or new subscriptions, thank you Bastien, Benjamin, Cole, Fenna, Graham, Gus, J., Karim, Linn, Max, N., Olivia, Ollie, Ophélie, Sinan, T. and Ugo. 

A RETREAT

If …

… you think you are “done with dance music” or are experiencing a similar “dance music crisis”.

… you are a composer or music fan looking to deepen your relationship with listening.

… you are an activist, social worker or care-giver of any kind who needs to be taken care of.

… you are new to meditation and would be interested in diving deeper in a gentle and flexible environment.

… you are an experienced meditator who is curious about combining their dharma practice with deep rest and movement practice.

… you struggle with winter blues and are looking to get cosy around the darkest day.

… you agree we may all be a little bit fucked and you’d like to experiment with holding that grief and anxiety with a potential temporary sense of peace, perhaps even a bit of joy?

… you can’t remember the last time you switched your phone off for a few days and want an excuse to safely take a break from online communications.

… you want to take a break from going to shops, cooking, cleaning, talking and listening to anyone or being in a city.

… you are curious about making space to sit with The Big Questions, wonder about the nature of consciousness, watch the stars and marvel at the mystery of it all. 

… you are a fan of crocodiles DJing and wonder how it will feel to dance to a 6h DJ set after not having listened to an amplified sound in nearly a week.

You should consider joining Laura, Ollie, Sam, Sarj, Ugo and I at this retreat we are organising near Berlin from 16 til 21st of December!

SOME GIGS

31.10 - Renate, Berlin 🇩🇪

Halloween gig with old friends. This will be my last time playing Renate before the club closes permanently later this year, before the construction of the A100 highway. Jeff / Spargelzeit plays from 1 til 4 and I recommend his sunset closing set from Sprocki festival. David / Naga DJ plays from 6 til 8 and I recommend his Random & Wild mix for Mutant Radio. 

07.11 - Listen x Fuse x Breaxx, Brussels 🇧🇪

On a faster tip with Bredren, Erykah, gyrofield, KŌMA (3) ft. Divine, Roni Size, Selmz, Shy FX & The Untouchables. Ugo and I are arriving in Belgium on Thursday and leaving on Monday. 

08.11 - Amigo, Ghent 🇧🇪

Basement affair with the crew behind Dakdak. I played for them about a year ago and it was joyful! This time with Daisy Ray and The Slug, Mankiyan b2b Karel, Ghosttdog.

16.11 - Mountain Cry at Arkaoda, Berlin 🇩🇪

Wheel of Fortune the four 4 at lasssssst! Can we make it? Can we? You’ll have to come down to find out from 4 pm onwards :)

21.11 - Kwia, Berlin 🇩🇪

Free tea with KG and NG.

23.11 - Subglow at Ohm, Berlin 🇩🇪

Sunday evening closing b2b with CCL after Succubass and Beatrice M. Subglow was one of my favorite gigs of 2024 and this will be the first time Ceci and I are playing b2b. 

20.12 - Reflections Retreat, Brandenburg 🇩🇪

This is the last thing I am organising in/near Berlin before leaving at the end of January. I will be in Europe/the UK until September 2026.

May peace meet you and when she does, may she be generous, joyful and revolutionary!

xx

nono