Turning waste into musical instruments for disadvantaged youths
In Spain, a creative social project aims to improve the lives of children from disadvantaged backgrounds through music, education, and recycling. The initiative, called Music for Recycling, involves an inventive orchestra that brings together youths from deprived homes, who play with instruments Read More...
This science-backed playlist is full of songs that will give you chills
We all have those special songs we go back to every now and then if we want to get a good dosage of “chills”—that powerful emotional response reflected by a pleasurable sensation of tingles, and even goosebumps. But what exactly is it that makes our bodies respond that way to a piece of Read More...
Egyptian music duo raises awareness on feminist issues
ElBouma, an Egyptian musical duo, has released a new album that showcases the blending of old melodies with new rhythms, but more importantly gives voice to the girls and women in rural areas of Egypt with their lyrics that critique the sexism, patriarchy, gender-based violence, and other harmful Read More...
Lorde uplifts New Zealand’s Indigenous language with new mini album
International star and New Zealander, Lorde, is paying tribute to her home country with new recordings of a set of songs off her latest album, “Solar Power,” in the country's Indigenous language, Māori. “Many things revealed themselves slowly to me while I was making this album, but the Read More...
This radio station plays ethereal ambient music made by trees
Silent tree activity, like photosynthesis and the absorption and evaporation of water, produces a small voltage in the leaves. In a bid to encourage people to think more carefully about their local tree canopy, sound designer and musician Skooby Laposky has found a way to convert that tree activity Read More...
Impromptu Yo-Yo Ma performance lifts spirits at vaccination site
For the great majority, this past year was one of loneliness. It was (and continues to be) an era void of dinners out, visits to the movies, spontaneous trips, or attending concerts. Covid-19 vaccines are finally being rolled out throughout the US and the world, meaning that the light at the end of Read More...
Forgotten conch shell in museum identified as oldest known wind instrument
Archaeologists discovered a treasure hiding in plain sight after a 17,000-year-old conch shell that lay forgotten for more than 80 years in a museum collection has been identified as the oldest known wind instrument of its type. During a recent inventory of items at the Muséum de Toulouse in Read More...
This program in Austin aims to undo racism in the music industry
The Covid-19 pandemic has deeply affected many industries, but perhaps none has the weight of it so great as the music industry. Live music events and venues were some of the first to be shut down with the first wave of lockdowns and will be the last to open and function regularly once things Read More...
The Vegetable Orchestra replaces instruments with something tastier
Over the last 22 years a Vienna-based orchestra has been taking a rather unconventional approach towards music performance by showing that, apart from being good for your health, vegetables also have great acoustic potential. Prior to each of their performances, the members of the Vegetable Read More...
Each track on this album was inspired by songs of endangered birds
Back in 2015, a music album inspired by the sounds of endangered birds in South America raised more than $15,000 for two bird conservation charities in the region. Fast forward to today, and we’re once again seeing (or rather, hearing) the beautiful collaboration of music and conservation. A Read More...