thesparkmag-blog

[thesparkmag-blog]

“An artist is here to reflect on the times,” explains DragonFroot. “Representation of POC is very important; it saves lives and I wouldn’t be an artist if I didn’t represent that. It is also simply me. That being said, our music isn’t always political and that is okay because it can be very draining mentally for it to be. We just wanna jam out and have our QPOC jam out too and be able to have fun, but still look up and be like ‘They look like us, that’s awesome!’”

Montreal trio Strange Froots reflect on finding true expression, and their journey to Senegal.

[thesparkmag-blog]

PREMIERE: tubafresh, “Extra Syrup”

“This one is about reaching out to your past love(r) who knows you best to share a moment of truth with no frills and coating because you both can just be real with each other and are accepted.” 

[thesparkmag-blog]

"Learning more about the parts of Haitian history that my parents did not necessarily think to offer me – again this idea of transmission – has really helped me stand up to a lot of oppressive discourse both with regards to Haiti and also negotiating how much I’m supposed to feel like I owe France for my career – a place where I am literally producing a cultural product but still do not have the same rights as a citizen." 

Mélissa Laveaux is interviewed by Chanelle Adams about what's behind her gorgeous new record 'Radyo Siwèl'

[thesparkmag-blog]

“I locate a lot of the biggest emotional pain, I suppose, within parts of my body. I think we feel our emotions in our bodies, and it feels correct to talk about feelings in terms of the body. I also think it’s a thing about being queer is that you have to address the problem of your body...” -Ezra Furman on queerness and the body

Read more in the interview by Tanner Howard

[thesparkmag-blog]

"I suppose that on this record a lot of what I was thinking about was people who are targeted or stigmatized for their bodies in all different kind of ways, having this inconvenient body. Yet somehow that’s where I still wanted it to be like, somehow, that’s where power is located and found." 

Ezra Furman talks with us about the fragile body, thrift shopping, and their latest release, 'Transangelic Exodus'

By Tanner Howard

[thesparkmag-blog]

Philadelphia's Great Weights formed as a "weaponized version of their disillusionment" with post-hardcore. Now they're reclaiming the genre. Hear "Morning Sickness," the first single off their upcoming self-titled EP.

[thesparkmag-blog]

"It's soul crushing when people can't do their art. You have to survive, so you will just work wherever you can. We can do so much more and contribute so much if we didn't have to worry about that. It would be amazing to have that at our disposal." 

- bell’s roar talks about their innovative Art Funds Art Tour - wherein they gave direct grants to other QTPOC artists in each city they performed in - and their beautiful first full-length 'We Carry Us' 

by Victoria Ruiz

📸Kiki Vassilakis

[thesparkmag-blog]

“Gender swims a fluid stroke, is whole yet lithe as smoke. And just as deadly. Black ppl, black queers, black fems, black trans ppl, black m/others*, black children hold so much creative power. We live in one big haunted mansion. Darkness/blackness is the core of everything. Everything (and anything) comes from the dark/black“ - m|ghthaunt

Check the debut EP from m|ghthaunt 

[thesparkmag-blog]

“Producing work authentic to what I sense, while challenging myself and those who will witness me, is a responsibility. I can devote two years of my life to an EP calling folks to center blackness, and black people will still not have clean water. Consent is essential. Conssential. Niggas were the first people on earth and in outer space. Gender swims a fluid stroke, is whole yet lithe as smoke. And just as deadly. Black ppl, black queers, black fems, black trans ppl, black m/others*, black children hold so much creative power. We live in one big haunted mansion. Darkness/blackness is the core of everything. Everything (and anything) comes from the dark/black.“

Philadelphia based artist cheik athj discusses their debut EP as m|ghthaunt, a vulnerable and tenacious take on black liberation. By Marcelline Mandeng. 📸Eva Wo

[thesparkmag-blog]

Norway's Sløtface reimagine Nancy Drew as a feminist superhero in their new animated video created with Ida Neverdahl and Ola Lysgaard

[thesparkmag-blog]

A superhero destroys a literal patriarchy monster in the new animated video for “Nancy Drew” from Norwegian pop-punks Sløtface 

[thesparkmag-blog]

Sudamerica Existe is the first compilation centered on the history of women in punk from countries throughout South America. Hear the collection and read our conversation with creator Nathalia Viccari (formerly of Brazilian goth punk band RAKTA)

[thesparkmag-blog]

"[Wild Child] is about projecting the persona of someone who is always free, always partying and you can't imagine them ever worrying about their work rota or buying cereal. It's important to see through it, to know it's fake but at the same time, it's so intriguing and seductive. I think this anarchic, flamboyant spirit is really important to queer culture" -Rachel Aggs. 

Watch Shopping judge everyone as talent show hosts in their new video "Wild Child"

[thesparkmag-blog]

PREMIERE: UK minimalist punks Shopping are harsh talent show judges in new video for "Wild Child" off their upcoming LP 'The Official Body' 

[thesparkmag-blog]

“Reasoning with a Nazi? I don’t believe that can be done.” - Pauline Black of The Selecter talks with us about fighting the right-wing from 1970s England through today. 

By Karen Gwee.

[thesparkmag-blog]

"We came together, the bands of 2 Tone - which was us, The Specials, Madness, The Beat, The Bodysnatchers. We represented, I think, for young people, what things could be like. What things should be like. Why allow outsiders with evil intent to make these divisions between us, when the one thing that does bring people together is music? That's pretty much what we did." 

Pauline Black of @theselecter79 discusses her band's fight against the right-wing, from Thatcher to today.

By Karen Gwee

[thesparkmag-blog]

We made our first ever Spark Mag print zine! It's full color and really nice and it raises money to keep the site going so please consider clicking.