Sam Davies

Dave is an A-lister now.

With festivals looking thin on the ground, why not visit the places that have inspired some of our best songs and greatest bands, including Pulp, the Undertones and Cliff Richard (AND GIGGS)

At just 19-years-old, Fizzler is a precocious emerging talent. He began releasing singles on YouTube two years ago, not long after finishing school, and has since dropped viral freestyles via Fumez The Engineer and ProdByWalkz, and collaborated with the likes of Offica and TeeZandos. He’s earned a reputation for impudent wordplay thanks to popping singles ‘Minimum Wage’ and ‘Aha ‘Mhmm’.

The artist’s long-awaited return to rap is complex, immensely enjoyable and unfailingly clever

In the last decade, drill music has become ever more popular while inspiring debates over its links to violence. Now the rap sound is flourishing in many continents, writes Sam Davies.

Loraine James conjures dreams of the club, claustrophobia and isolation on her stunning new album for Hyperdub

“Hi everyone I’m Carl Cox. Welcome to our festival.” A superstar DJ stands behind the decks in a Hawaiian shirt. “I’m so happy to be able to do this for you guys today. What I’m gonna be playing is some Glastonbury festival classics, some Carl Cox techno bangers, and a few new tracks as well.”

Tuareg guitarist and songwriter Mdou Moctar sounds like a rock god for the future on his new album for Matador Records

Opening a new pub during a pandemic might seem to be a gamble – but after a month of only being able to trade outside, Eltham’s newest micropub is thriving. SAM DAVIES visited the Berry & Barrel to find out more.

When, late last year, Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar and his band set up to rehearse a few songs outside a friend’s house on the outskirts of Niamey, the capital of Niger deep in the Sahara, a crowd gathered. The band ended up playing for three nights. Luckily, cameras were on hand and this weekend, the beautiful, accidental show was made available around the world on Bandcamp.

At its best, electronic music can feel like listening to the future. But for years, critics in some quarters have bemoaned the dearth of new sounds...

Evie Hoyte has been looking out for the people of Woodville Estate, next to the Sun-in-the-Sands roundabout, for 50 years. She spoke to SAM DAVIES about the unique challenges she’s faced in the past 12 months.

Weed is good for you. In moderation. It’s known to improve creativity, muscle pain, appreciation for art and our ability to maintain a sense of calm. It can also make you feel sluggish, lazy, stupid and unconcerned, sensations many of us have experienced in the last 12 months whether smoking weed or not. But inhale: in hell, there’s heaven. With just about everyone’s day-to-day life being challenged one way or another during the pandemic, some have turned to weed.

4 album reviews, including Digga D 'Made in the Pyrex' as album of the month

Drill rappers have no reason to trust journalists: Google any member of the drill scene and you’ll usually see at least one tabloid story painting them as a criminal. Interviewing a drill rapper can be nerve-racking. Aside from the obvious menace upon which the genre thrives, your first challenge is that most are cagey facing up to questions. Then there’s the issue of opps...