#Anastasia Coope’s warped folk curios

#Anastasia Coope’s warped folk curios

The 21-year-old painter-singer-songwriter discusses her unconventional path to the strange songs that populate her debut album, Darning Woman. Anastasia Coope. Photo by Grace Conrad.   Anastasia Coope’s apartment is hard to find. In a city where most every building is sequentially numbered, street-facing, and explorable from one’s personal device, the Brooklyn collective/co-op where the 21-year-old…

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#Arooj Aftab’s constellations

#Arooj Aftab’s constellations

Arooj Aftab’s constellations The Pakistani singer discusses the far-flung foundations of her new album, Night Reign. By Raphael Helfand Arooj Aftab. Photo by Shreya Dev Dube.   Arooj Aftab is a nocturnal creature by preference. It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon — Aftab is dressed in black and wears dark sunglasses — and we’re sitting outside…

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#Black Fondu’s secret is simplicity

#Black Fondu’s secret is simplicity

With only one song out, the enigmatic 20-year-old rapper-producer maintains his mystique as he discusses his patient approach to life and music. Black Fondu. Photo by Richard Mukuze.   The Opener is The FADER’s short-form profile series of casual conversations with exciting new artists. Black Fondu keeps his camera off during our video call. Over…

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#Pollution Opera regurgitate the world

#Pollution Opera regurgitate the world

The Egyptian-Welsh duo’s postmodern noise opera is one of this year’s most urgent albums so far. Pollution Opera: Nadah El Shazly (left) and Elvin Brandhi. Photo by Malik Beytrison.   Nada El Shazly’s voice is something to behold. Last weekend at 24-HOUR DRONE, I watched her perform a powerful set over a minimal backing track:…

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#A new Arthur Russell book complicates a mythic legacy

#A new Arthur Russell book complicates a mythic legacy

A new Arthur Russell book complicates a mythic legacy Richard King, author of Travels Over Feeling: Arthur Russell – A Life, discusses capturing the cult hero’s strange, slippery essence through narration, oral history, and archival artifacts. By Raphael Helfand Arthur Russell during a family holiday in Minnesota, 1986. Photo by Tom Lee via Arthur Russell…

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