arirosenschein

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New Flash Fiction: "TikToktastrophe" in Short Beasts

Short Beasts is a seriously selective online flash fiction literary magazine that publishes roughly four times a year, so I'm elated the editors chose to include my piece, "TikToktastrophe." The story, written during NaNoWriMo 2022, investigates the intersection of family, self-esteem, and social media.

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Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegraph (Fire and Ice YA) Spring 2024

I’m delighted to reveal that my young adult novel, Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegraph, will arrive in Spring 2024 from Fire and Ice YA. I’ll be sharing much more, but the book takes place in the late '90s—the final days before smartphones and the internet changed the teenage landscape forever. Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegraph is a coming-of-age story about how a friendship can challenge who we are, how we fit in, and where we’re going. 

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New Artist Profile: Reverberations with Bakithi Kumalo   

Few bassists possess a sound as instantly recognizable as Soweto-born Bakithi Kumalo. A simple mention of his legendary fretless break in Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al” is sure to prompt a roomful of enthusiastic air bass. Yet Kumalo had already cut his teeth across South Africa before receiving the call to play on sessions for Simon’s Graceland. His fluidity, groove, and unbending reverence for the song have made him a revered collaborator with artists from Cyndi Lauper and Herbie Hancock to Grover Washington Jr. and Mickey Hart. Kumalo’s evocative 2021 release, What You Hear Is What You See,chronicles the musician’s journey to the United States. The four-string icon talks about township beginnings, his longstanding role with Simon, and how he encourages the next generation of players.   

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New Fiction: "Counter Offer" in Ariel Chart

The fine literary journal Ariel Chart published a new piece of short fiction of mine entitled "Counter Offer," set in Seattle's tech sector circa 2018.

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New Memoir: "A Tower Records Fairy Tale" in Drunk Monkeys

Remember wandering the racks at Tower Records? I do, and I wrote about it. The wonderful and witty Drunk Monkeys published my memoir piece, "A Tower Records Fairy Tale," in their annual Pop Culture issue.

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Lit Walk at 2023 Orcas Island Lit Fest

I'm pleased to share that I will be reading during Lit Walk at the 2023 Orcas Island Lit Fest. It is an honor to be part of this "annual celebration of literature and community held in an inspiringly beautiful place." This year's featured artists include Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Gilbert King, Kirstin Valdez Quade, Garth Stein, Ibi Zoboi, and musician Haley Heynderickx.

BUY TICKETS

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Antioch MFA Reading at AWP Seattle

Photo by Jazmine Aluma

It was both a homecoming and fresh start sharing new work at the Antioch Los Angeles MFA in Creative Writing reading at AWP Seattle. Many thanks to Tim Cummings and all the superb readers who provided many jolts of inspiration.

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New Artist Profile: A Few Minutes with Nathan Fake

Straight out of Norwich, UK, auditory alchemist Nathan Fake creates music that simultaneously exists on multiple planes. In short, Fake is anything but. His patiently morphing compositions eschew traditional structure yet remain accessible. Crystal Vision, his latest release, sees his self-styled electronica incorporating Italo disco, techno, and even dream pop.

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Reverberations: Ari O’Neal with SZA, Beyoncé, and Lizzo

When it comes to a discovery tale, they don’t come much more dramatic than that of Ari O’Neal. The Maryland guitarist got plucked from Instagram to play with Beyoncé for her landmark 2018 Coachella show. From that point on, O’Neal has been on a musical adventure, accompanying the likes of Lizzo, Alicia Keyes, and SZA—with whom she is currently on tour.

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STAHV: The Obelisk Questionnaire

Photo by Adrienne Pierce

STAHV is always in flux, just like me. The music has gone from dreamy, hazy doomgaze to ultra-concise darkwave art rock on the new EP, Simple Mercies, and I know it will change again. I think that’s because I’m so obsessed with sounds and songs and recording that I want to sample all the flavors. There’s always a new sonic avenue to explore. That keeps me striving.

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STAHV: Pete’s Rock News and Views Interview

STAHV is a reflection of where I’m at in my musical interests and how I want to express them. For most of my life, I’ve been a songwriter in the classic sense, both as a solo artist under the name Ari Shine and as a member of The Royal Oui. STAHV began as an outlet for my more esoteric leanings. The music was primarily long-form and instrumental. In the past year or so, STAHV has become much more succinct and hook-based. It’s almost full circle from where it started, with me returning to traditional song structures, albeit from a totally different place. The new STAHV EP, Simple Mercies, is much darker and more existential compared to my breezier pop past.

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Photo by Adrienne Pierce

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Reverberations: Stew Jackson of Massive Attack

Bristol’s Stew Jackson has a rich pedigree as both guitarist and studio wunderkind. For the last decade and a half, he’s maintained a tight partnership with Grantley Evan Marshall of Massive Attack. The pair co-write and produce for the acclaimed trip-hop collective and other projects. Jackson has also logged hours on the road with Detroit’s legendary mystery man Rodriguez as well as Marc Ford of the Black Crowes. The multi-talented producer dishes on his city’s musical mojo, the BOSS RE-202, and the natural power of delay.  

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Reverberations: Geoff Barrow of Portishead and BEAK

Some musicians have a knack for creating sounds that endure, inspiring others to pick up instruments and produce something unusual. Geoff Barrow is one such artist. From his groundbreaking work with Portishead—alongside vocalist Beth Gibbons and guitarist Adrien Utley—to the experimental sounds of BEAK, Barrow is at home painting outside the lines of convention. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that cinematic approach has led him to the world of film scoring and releasing records via his Invada imprint. Barrow opens up about his career, theories about sound, and a long Space Echo history that leads to the BOSS RE-202.

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A Few Minutes with Plaid

Ed Handley and Andy Turner of Plaid first emerged as two-thirds of the British collective Black Dog Productions. The trio produced influential albums until 1995, when Handley and Turner split off to focus on Plaid, which had co-existed as a side project. Since then, Plaid has stretched the boundaries of heady electronica. Its sound brims with asymmetrical meters and the eclecticism of lifelong crate diggers. Plaid avoids categorization while leaving critics clawing at terms like IDM and post-techno. They shed light on their rural youth, work process, and how an intergalactic voyage informs the latest Plaid release, Feorm Falorx.  

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Label Spotlight: Mo’ Wax Records and UNKLE

Right from its start in 1992, the Mo’ Wax story was one of creativity and collaboration. The forward-thinking label served as headquarters and clubhouse for founder James Lavelle and his artistic partnerships. Today, the Mo’ Wax name is synonymous with the trip-hop and turntablism movements and remains a touchstone for hip-hop culture. Central to Mo’ Wax was Lavelle’s UNKLE project, an evolving collective that initially included DJ Shadow and continues to release groundbreaking sounds.

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Curtis Byrd: A Life of Rhythm

The dramatic arc of Curtis Byrd’s life is a story of talent, perseverance, and passion. Beginning as a youngster in church musical groups, the drummer/percussionist has backed up some of the biggest names in music. He also founded Rhythm for Change, a community committed to creating positive change through the therapeutic art of drumming. Byrd believes in the power and importance of rhythm—the unique groove we all have inside of us. He discusses the twists and turns along his journey from Chicago to Portland to Los Angeles and how the beat has always been there to guide him.  

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Label Spotlight: Dais Records

From regional outposts like Sun and Motown to the niche rosters of 4AD and Kill Rock Stars, the label as tastemaker has many notable precedents. In this distinguished lineage sits Dais Records. Founded and lovingly curated by like-minded music aesthetes Gibby Miller and Ryan Martin, Dais sits at the intersection of post-punk, synth-pop, industrial, ambient, and a host of other subgenres. To mark its 15th anniversary, Dais collaborated with Roland Lifestyle to create a clothing line celebrating its synergy with the company’s instruments. Via the words of Miller and Martin, as well as artists Drab Majesty, Riki, Space Afrika, and ADULT., emerges the story of this important imprint—one that defies categorization and convention.

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