Here's my last Newsletter of 2023
Hold on, wasn't it January last week?!
Allo allo, welcome back to Music Is The Answer, the criminally infrequent newsletter helmed by myself, Marcus Barnes. Somehow, yet again, I haven’t managed to uphold my intention to make this a more regular thing, but that’s life eh! Since the end of the year is upon us, I thought I’d make some time to put out one last edition before we enter 2024.
In typical end of year style, I’m using this newsletter to compile my “Greatest Hits of 2023”, along with lots more… Including an interview with the amazing Zar, which you must must read, some album recommendations, Scott Grooves;’ artwork, a whole bunch of mixes that have been rocking my world, live reviews and lots more.
As I always say, I put a lot of work into these newsletters (when I actually do them) for no financial benefit at all, so any feedback, shares or general love would be very much appreciated. Thanks and enjoy!
My 2023 Highlights
Celebrating ourselves is paramount. We can’t always leave it up to others to give us our proverbial flowers while we’re still here. So here are some of my 2023 highlights, a year that, for me, has felt like a bit of a slump in all honesty. Going through my list, a few of the bigger achievements had their beginnings last year, and came to fruition this year. Money has been a big issue, which I’m sure is the same for a lot of others.
It’s been 20 YEARS since I started writing professionally, I’ve established a great reputation, I work hard, I’m good at what I do and I have a huge network of professional acquaintances, yet this doesn’t seem to be equating to a sustainable career at present. Over the festive break I will be using the time off to figure out a way forward, because it’s been a tough one, financially and mentally. Anyway, on a more positive note, I returned to the party circuit this year after a long break (thanks to Covid and personal circumstances), which has been a lot of fun, along with working on some really amazing projects. Next year I want to go bigger…
BOOKS:
Sports Banger Lifestyles of the Poor, Rich, & Famous
LOVED working on this one. Jonny is a legend and I’m fully on board with what he does. We move in similar circles, and I was honoured when he asked me to get involved with this book… Published by Thames & Hudson, no less. I handled all of the interviews with the extended family of Banger-associated mischief makers and creators.
Normski: Man with the Golden Shutter
I grew up watching Normski on BBC2 show Dance Energy, got to know him on the club circuit and got a personal call in April 2022 to request my involvement in his first ever book - a huge compendium of his iconic photographs. I wrote the foreword, which he says still brings a tear to his eye. This and the Banger book are proper coffee table tomes. Very proud.
The Cambridge Companion to Krautrock
Snuck this one in, as it came out late 2022. This was a huge huge deal for me, being invited to write an academic piece on krautrock and its connection to Detroit techno for Cambridge University Press. Still can’t quite believe it. Mega.
So I didn’t actually write any words for this book, but I coached the author, Daisy Morris, through its final stages. She reached out to me about a month before the deadline, panicked and not feeling able to get it over the line. I got her to extend the deadline, and then gave my support and guidance to help her work through imposter syndrome and self-doubt to knock it out of the park. And she really did.
MAGAZINES:
Another one that was published in 2022, but I didn’t receive my physical copies until this year. Massive massive project and achievement this one. I was handpicked by music & tech visionary Troy Carter to work on this special magazine. I wrote eight pieces and oversaw the production and editing of the entire thing through to completion.
This piece reaffirmed why I write for a living. Had a genuinely invigorating connection with Actress during our interview, came away from it buzzing, cracked out a piece under a bit of pressure (limited time, away from my usual location) and the final article went down a treat with everyone, including the man himself. Very proud of this one.
A LinkedIn message led to me writing the cover feature for Issue 9 of US graffiti magazine The Infamous. I love getting into people’s minds when I interview them, it gives me all the info I need to write an engaging, informative piece. Bogus let me in and his story/attitude is fascinating.
Dutch magazine MacGuffin commissioned me to write a piece about graffiti and my relationship with letters through the artform. It’s been a long time since I wrote about graffiti, so it’s been great to be able to dip back in to the culture I love for this and the piece I did on Bogus for The Infamous.
Online:
Mixmag: Hak Baker (Windrush 75 Special)
I first came across Hak when I was hosting the Eventbrite stage at BBC Introducing Live back in 2019. His music and persona immediately captivated me, and I was an instant fan. “I want to write about him,” I thought to myself. Three and a half years later, and with Hak having a blinder of a year, that opportunity arose and it was fantastic to finally have a proper natter with him. A true people’s champion.
Beatportal Label Of The Month: Ghostly International
I’m still pinching myself over this - a piece on a truly iconic electronic music label, Ghostly International. I spoke to Sam Valenti IV all about the origins of the outlet, its ethos and all manner of other Ghostly-related subjects. Enjoyed this one a LOT.
Linett Kamala: The Unifying Power of The Soundsystem
Pioneer’s blog has really been doing a lot for electronic music journalism. They pay well, and they offer a good amount of space for long-form pieces to stretch out… This one with Linett Kamala is an interview she says is one of her most in-depth to date. I love detail and I love being able to get deeper with my interviewees, so this was a welcome change to the norm.
Mixmag: Why Dance Music Needs To Pay More Respect To MCs
A key component of the rave scene, especially in the UK, MCs have had a bad rap (scuse the pun!) from some people over the years. This piece celebrates them, looks at why they can sometimes be neglected and gives them the shine they deserve. Got to interview a few heroes for this, which is always a treat.
The Mystical Healing Magic of Medicine Music
A very personal victory this one, after having the piece “killed” by the people who commissioned it. I found it within myself to get this finished and published here on my newsletter, and damn that felt good. A very pertinent piece too… Please read!
Copywriting:
The Night League: Hï Ibiza & Ushuaïa
Worked on this one during summer/autumn 2022. The Night League brought me in to be lead copywriter as part of a team who worked on establishing distinct brand identities for Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa - two of the world’s best-known clubs. Hï Ibiza has been voted No.1 Club In The World a few times and Ushuaia is regularly high on that list, too. To have played a role in such a critical element of the clubs’ public image was absolutely massive for me.
Chase & Status - 2Ruff
Jeez, this mixtape absolutely blew up this year, off the back of one of 2023’s biggest hitters, the ubiquitous ‘Baddadan’. I’ve been working with Chase & Status since their RTRN II JUNGLE project in 2019. I wrote the press text for 2Ruff, a collection of DnB bangers that encapsulates the raw energy of the vibrant jump up scene. As always, Will and Saul elevate the art of music making with all-star features, high production values, faultless ingenuity and creativity, and a passion for DnB that is unwavering. What a smash.
Skreamizm 8
Ollie and I have been connected since 2009, when I interviewed him for The Sun (the first ever time they featured dubstep). I did his biography a little while back and I was asked to update it, along with writing a press release to accompany the eighth installment of his Skreamizm series. A very personal one, and some of his best work to date. It’s always a pleasure to work with Ollie and be privy to the inner workings of his infinitely creative mind. Like Normski, this one also resulted in tears. As I said, very personal and a privilege to have been part of. (Also, the artwork is by my old graffiti pal Insa… And Skream is also an ex-graffiti writer, amazing to have that shared connection).
Afterlife
Whether you’re into them or not, Afterlife are one of the world’s biggest electronic music outfits. This year I continued to write press texts for their label’s musical output. I’m immensely proud to be part of the team and to have seen the outfit grow so much over the past year or two.
Biographies
A staple of my career, artist bios continue to roll in and they are among my favourite things to do. A true test of my capabilities; interviewing people, gently digging into their personal and professional history and condensing their story onto a side of A4. Some of the people I worked with this year include: Tale Of Us, James Hype, Rudimental, Mochakk, Ben Westbeech, Yulia Niko and many more. Thanks to everyone who’s commissioned me. More please!
Notable mentions:
I’ve been working for Happy Tuesdays for nearly two years now. In that time we’ve seen amazing organic growth, with my creative mind at the helm conjuring up content ideas on a consistent basis, and then writing them. It has become a key source of information and digestible content relating to the positive aspects of the party lifestyle. Very gratifying to see my ideas resonate with so many people (especially Why You Should Stop Facing The DJ Booth, which went viral), lots more to come!
Drexciya at The British Library
This one came as a total surprise - a VIP invite to The British Library’s late night event focused on the Detroit legends, Drexciya. They used a piece I wrote for Mixmag as a key piece of research when putting the event together, so it was with great pride that I attended the event, bumping into Linett Kamala and a few other friends on the night. Still buzzing from this one.
Graffiti Workshop
Working with young people is soul work for me. It’s at the core of what I’m all about, “each one, teach one”, legacy, guiding the next generation… Hopefully inspiring people to reach for the stars. All of that. So when my sister asked me if I’d like to lead a graffiti workshop at her youth centre in Birmingham, I was ON IT. What an amazing experience, a standout moment from the year.
We Out Here Festival
Gilles Peterson and the team excelled with their festival this year. I wrote about it here on my newsletter, but I want to reiterate.. I have never seen so many black people at a camping festival. The demographic range, from families and babies to people in their sixties, the music, the location, the weather (pretty much behaved the whole time)… amazing all round. Can’t wait for next year’s edition.
Mixes:
Here are a few of the mixes I’ve put together this year, in case you missed them…
Dubwise Electronic Selection
Four hours of dub-inspired electronic music, originally curated for my set at Spiritland. I recorded the mix after the gig, using clips of the late prophet Jah Shaka to split it into distinct chapters.
Rhythm Is A Trancer
Three+ hours of trance classics. That’s all you need to know.
Live at the Discovery Den, Shoreditch
Nearly six hours of music from soul and funk through to 90s/2000s RnB, garage, house classics and a little jungle tune to rap it up. Loved playing this party!
Techno Tunes: August 2023
Went all out with this mix, using tunes from my August reviews. I listen to this one a lot, every tune bangs in its own way and, if I say so myself, it’s very well put together.
This Zar Interview Is A Must Read
Make sure you read this brilliant interview with Zar, a vibrant artist who talks about the hard work that went into his debut release, his relationship with Vipassana meditation and much more. This was an excellent chat and his music is first class, too.
Album Recommendations
Here are two brilliant LPs that I’m sure you’re going to love. I always present an older album and a new one, to showcase the past and present. Read on to learn all about them…
Voigtmann - 'Life Miles' LP [20/20 Vision]
Claus Voigtmann is a G. Widely respected, authentic and true to his sound, one of those artists who really is committed to the more underground style. He does everything with class and panache, so the quality of this album is, of course, top notch. He comes at the album format with a varied range of styles; fabric-inspired techy house cuts, electro, and more cosmic excursions, too. Really feeling ‘Send Love To The Future’, with its downtempo vibe, ‘North Of The Sun’ pulsating and hypnotic, and the opener ‘Pinfire’ is mesmerising. The whole thing is fresh and a testament to Voigtmann’s exemplary skills.
Keith Sweat - Make It last Forever [Elektra]
Released on the legendary Elektra, this is an absolute gem of an LP from Keith Sweat. I first picked this up back in 2006, when I was living in Manchester. It was part of a Valentine’s gift for an ex. From the very first notes of ‘Something Ain’t Right’, through to the stirring duet on the title track this album really encapsulates that sultry, sexy late eighties RnB era perfectly. Keith is one of the kings of this genre and I love every song on this album. Still gets regular play in my house. Class.
Scott Grooves Gets Visual
Detroit mainstay Scott Grooves is renowned for his faultless discography, comprised house and techno with soul and, as his name suggests, plenty of groove. During the pandemic he began to channel his creativity into visual art and he’s now at a stage where he’s making his work public. It’s been great to see this evolution in his artistry, I’ve been a fan of Scott’s for a while now and we had a great connection when we met in Baltimore in 2019. Here are some of his pieces…
Check out more of his work here.
Gig Review: Hak Baker at Koko
Very late with this one, as this took place way back at the end of September. Wanted to shout out this gig though, it was emotional… As I said, I’ve been following Hak’s progress since late 2019 and this gig felt like the culmination of all the graft he’s put in over the years. Staunch in his outlook, dropping one amazing song after another, embodying his working class roots while defying stereotype to express himself with a guitar in a wonderfully folky-meets-inner-city-east-London manner.
I bumped into Hak at lunchtime before he show, as I was in the area. He was en route to the pub and had me in stitches with his shenanigans. I was also one of the first people at the show (fanboy alert!), so I got to see these amazing singers in the main foyer at the venue. Walked around a bit and met some other fans, who were really lovely. Eventually found myself a spot and held on to it for the whole performance.
Having seen Hak play to about 40 people the first time I saw him, it was a proud moment to see him sell out Koko and absolutely own the stage. It felt like everyone sang along to every word throughout the whole thing and you could tell he was beside himself with glee at the way he was received. He’s come so far and still staying true to his sound, his persona and his message. It’s admirable and clearly resonates with a broad spectrum of people judging by the diverse crowd that turned out for him.
People really love Hak and it’s easy to see why. He is himself, pure and straight up, in every circumstance and his energy is infectious. I won’t go into the setlist and all of that, but he played so many of my favourites, and I certainly wasn’t the only one who fought back tears during his rendition of ‘Tom’ - the song that really caught me the first time I saw him four years ago. I’m very biased because I’m a big fan, but this was an excellent show and I’m so pleased to see Hak getting the recognition he deserves from those who matter - the people.
Big up Hak and thanks to Elspeth at The Artist’s Way.
Make sure you listen to Hak’s LP World’s End FM.
Check These Mixes + Live Shows
To close things off for the year, here’s a big selection of mixes I’ve enjoyed during 2023, plus some live shows, too. Some I’ve shared already, but that’s because they’re just so good… Yeah, there are loads I know, so take your time and work through them patiently. Special shouts to Simon Doty and Hernan Cattaneo, and the BOSS Lee Burridge.
That’s All, Folks!
Signing off for the year with a couple of tunes (what else?!). Now, I don’t usually get involved with the Spotify Wrapped thing, but I did laugh when I finally bothered to have a peek at mine the other day and found out that Snow was my most played artist, haha. I got back into his 12 Inches Of Snow album earlier in the year and absolutely RINSED it. Check out ‘Runway’, from that album, below, such a banger. Also, watch this brilliant recent interview with him.
And, this is another of my most played of 2023. I was so elated when Overmono dropped it at their Roundhouse show in October! BIG BIG BIG tune. Shout to my pal Sarah Matthews, who knows every single word of this and encouraged me to go to the show with her and our other pal, Stacey. Big love, mate. So pleased you’re back on your feet <3
If you got this far, thanks for checking out my newsletter. Hopefully I can do this on a more regular basis next year as I really love doing it. Just a case of making time for it. A lot of work for very little return… I shall persevere though!
Have a lovely Christmas everyone and very best wishes for the new year ahead.
Never too old or experienced for encouragement in my book. Or gratitude. Keep on!
Wow, lots to be proud of here, Marcus.
I know everyone has their own baseline for contentment – whether it's determined by evolving craft or stacking commissions – but you are making notable contributions in so many areas that interest you. Anyone that can go from Normski and Keith Sweat to Drexciya and Actress, while also contributing to the likes of Macguffin, copywriting, mentoring and DJ'ing is my tribe 🙌🏾
I'll pop back in for more scribbles soon. Must read that Krautrock to Detroit techno essay too.