Broken Music

Journal

TitleDateExcerpt
A primer on the history of the synthesizer in popular musicThe story of the synthesizer in popular music is rarely a clean linear arc. It is more accurately a braided river of technological breakthroughs, eccentric…
Why Some Limited Editions Become Instant Cult ItemsA limited edition can sell out quickly, yet scarcity alone does not explain why certain records become lasting cult objects. Many small-run releases disappear…
Five essential recordings from New York's downtown undergroundThe downtown Manhattan scene of the late 1970s and 1980s produced a body of work so singular that it still rattles around Melbourne warehouse spaces, Sydney…
The Sound of Outer Space In Early Electronic MusicLong before synthesiser presets made cosmic atmosphere easy to reproduce, composers built visions of outer space from tape loops, test oscillators, prepared…
How to Organize Your Record Collection by Label or GenreA record collection can begin with a few favourite LPs and quickly become a small archive. Experimental music makes that growth especially interesting: a shelf…
Cassette Tapes: An Anachronistic Format for Modern ListenersCassette tapes belong to a strange corner of listening culture. They are familiar enough to evoke car stereos, bedroom mixtapes and record shops with dusty…
Artists Who Redefined the Concept Album in Experimental MusicA concept album does not need a plot, recurring character or obvious lyrical theme. In experimental music, the concept may be a studio method, a sonic…
Why Vinyl Still Matters for Dance Music and TechnoVinyl has returned to the centre of dance music culture without displacing digital formats. For techno, electro, ambient electronics and other club-oriented…
A guide to the most influential electronic music festivalsElectronic music festivals have become living archives of sound. They document the movement from tape manipulation and analogue synthesis to immersive…
What to Look for When Buying Used Experimental CDsBuying a used experimental CD is rarely as simple as checking whether the disc looks shiny. The format may contain field recordings, tape loops, radiophonic…