The Wire Issue 494 - April 2025

The cover of the April issue features Navajo composer, sound artist and noise maker Raven Chacon, who is in deep conversation with Esi Eshun. Inside, you will find further interviews with UK DIY alt.pop survivors Cleaners From Venus, German saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, unruly chamber ensemble Bastard Assignments, and Tanzania-born US MC Infinity Knives, among others.

The regular sections include an Invisible Jukebox with techno trailblazer Jeff Mills, an Inner Sleeve column by UK electronica producer Loraine James, a Global Ear from Osaka, an Unlimited Editions column on Bristol’s Cardboard Club label, an Epiphanies essay by French drone maker Golem Mecanique, and an Against The Grain column in which Mosi Reeves wonders about the lack of women in independent hiphop.

As always, the review sections are brimming over with our critics’ thoughts on all manner of new music activity. Among a mass of other stuff, in Soundcheck there is coverage of new releases from Bob Mould, Chick Corea, Clipping, Jérôme Noetinger, Sandwell District, Wolf Eyes & Anthony Braxton, Good & White Hills, Zoe Mc Pherson, Steve Reich, The Ex, and more eaze & claire rousay; in Print Run we review new books on Peter Brötzmann, MC5, dungeon synth, UK rap, and Jennifer Walshe on AI; in On Location we report on recent live shows by Laurie Anderson, David Murray, Elaine Mitchener, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Ben LaMar Gay, and Alex von Schlippenbach; and in On Site we cover a new exhibition on the life and work of Alice Coltrane.