An online bleeding-edge archive of music, culture and politics.  These are crazy times.  We have two missions: to enrich your musical life, and help you survive out there.  

 

We believe that businesses of the future ought to show their ethics upfront and so we decided to move early on this.
We commissioned these articles because we believe they cover important issues, and want to invest in knowledge and encourage discourse.
They don't necessarily always represent our views but we are honoured to host them.
This is volume one. Stay tuned for volume two...

The Kiss Your Ears team  

  

Industry 

 

Social media toxicity & the dissolution of artistic integrity

'Love it or hate it, Instagram isn't going away anytime soon. But how is it affecting our mental health, especially as artists? Click here to find tips on how to keep your gram game ethical and healthy.'

Five reasons why we don't need record labels anymore

'Much has changed since the times when major labels used to risk big and pay big - here are five reasons why we don't need record labels anymore.'

What is business techno?

'The term gets thrown around a lot - but what does it mean, and why is the term so negative? Let's find out!'

How might new clubs pass the test of time in five or ten years? 

'How can we keep partying while protecting ourselves and others against COVID-19? Learn five strategies that might allow us to enjoy the Berlin club experience safely.'

Can profitability and artistic authenticity coexist harmoniously?

'Can profitability and artistic authenticity coexist harmoniously? Does being authentic mean never making a profit? Join us on this deep dive into age-old questions.'

Why are we still using vinyl?  Five cons of buying wax 

'In the age of bamboo toothbrushes, pasta straws and banned plastic bags, vinyl seems to get a free pass from all of its environmental baggage. We've compiled five reasons we should overthink our obsession with vinyl.'

 

Current Affairs  

 

A letter to the black art community

'It’s time to uproot oppressive power structures, once and for all.  BIPOCs improper representation in the music industry must be addressed - with action.’

Berlin Polizei in 2020: Some Context

'The police raided a Berlin music facility on Wednesday 5th August 2020.  Here's a thinkpiece that represents the artists that were affected.'

Five reasons why we need art in 2020

'The year 2020 has been full of uprooting changes. Here are five reasons art might help us to heal and work our way towards a less grim future.'

Is this an appropriate time to be releasing music? 

'Is it ethically responsible to release music in the face of all the current upheaval? Hell yes! Here are seven reasons why!'

What is the future of the music industry after COVID-19? 

'The music industry is hugely dependent on social gatherings and travel. So how can the industry persist during and after Corona? Find out here.'

Can the club experience be truthfully emulated in solitude?

'More than any other city, clubbing is a way of life in Berlin. We interviewed a "highly strung B-town club snob" about the experience of clubbing online.'

What aesthetic reforms might occur in 2020?

'Change is the only constant in life. What aesthetic changes can we expect once the dust has settled on everything that went on in 2020?'

How can we help stabilise the music industry after COVID-19?

'Six ways you can contribute to saving music makers and the industry as a whole.'

How is the art community responding to events of 2020? 

'The events of 2020 will certainly have a massive influence on the art that is made. Click here to read about what that might look like.'

 

Ethics

 

Representation of club culture vs the swinging sixties

'Wondering why rave culture hasn't gained the same level of mainstream recognition as the hippie movement? Click here to read our thoughts about why that might be.'

Using sex to sell music: Why is it still so effective? 

'Using an artist's sex appeal in order to sell records is not a new tactic. We set out to explore why it's still effective.'

Having a diverse music taste is good for you

'Thanks to streaming services, we now have a bigger choice in music than ever before in history. And as it turns out, that actually has some health benefits - who'd have thought?'

 

Music Therapy

 

Five reasons why club culture is music therapy

'We all know that it feels good to go wild on the weekend. But did you know there are actually some proven beneficial for your mental health? Here are five reasons why partying is good for you.'

Dance music culture: a post-modern empathogenic ceremony?

'Dance music culture is often looked down upon as a teenage form of extreme hedonism, but there is evidence that it is connected to ancient dancing rituals in its therapeutic effect on the soul.'

Psychedelic therapy - can it help to validate club culture as part of a healthy society?

'While "drugs" often get bunched together as one monolithic group of evil addictive substances, there is actually a substantial body of research that indicates plenty of beneficial uses for all the usual party drugs. An overview.'

Five reasons why angry music is actually good for you

'Angry music such as metal gets a pretty bad rap, but as it turns out, it actually has lots of mental health benefits.'

 

Creative Risk

 

Five reasons why punk is alive in 2020

'You think punk was a thing of the 70s that died a long time ago? Think again - here are five reasons why punk is alive and kicking in 2020.'

How to... Create a musical legacy

'Dying to change the world with your first EP but don't know where to start?  Here's what you've been looking for.  A guide to making a masterpiece.'

 

Traditional Musicology

 

Rock n' Roll is Dead: Why electric guitar music is redundant

'Does the electric guitar really have a place in 2020 other than as a backing instrument?  Here are a few tongue-in-cheek arguments as to why it doesn't!'

Is classical music intrinsically better than ghetto house? 

'Too often we hear that classical music is the height of sophistication and expression, while popular music is supposed to be somehow "lesser". But is that really true?'

Five strategies for improvisation 

'When we're improvising together with other musicians, we can reach a true flow state, a different state of consciousness. How do we get there, and what can we expect from the experience?'