Stranger Fiction
A magazine about the audience. Written by a guy named Akhil.
Section 1. Project Daedalus
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Section 1. Project Daedalus -
Section 2. The Music Box
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Section 2. The Music Box -
I have yet to hear an underwhelming Thou record. A decade after Heathen, Thou’s 2024 release, Umbilical, is just as fantastic a representation of Thou’s brand of sludgy doom. Or is it doomy sludge?
Post-punk has made a strong resurgence of late. On some other occasion, I’ll list out some of the great post-punk records from the last few years here so I can better commit them to memory: Squid’s Bright Green World and the song Houseplants, Wet Leg’s self-titled records, Dry Cleaning’s New Long Leg and particularly the album opener Scratchcard Lanyard, others.
Nourished by Time’s Erotic Probiotic 2 is – far and away – my favourite record made in 2023. I love its simplicity, a feature it shares with Sleaford Mods’ UK GRIM, another favourite from 2023. However, it shares its vocabulary with synth-based R&B unlike UK GRIM’s post-punk.
In this piece, I navigate the intricate soundscapes of Pinegrove's Audiotree performance, set against the backdrop of the bustling city and its ubiquitous cafes. My exploration of indie studio sounds, alongside an introspective study of key indie bands, unravels a tale of life, hope, rejection, and the unending rhythm of the urban existence.
I don’t believe I’m in a position to share any facts about the band Basement except that, in the 2010s, they played lightly distorted mildly noisy alternative rock. And that in 2012, they recorded an album called Colourmeinkindness, which has a sound that serves as a great backing track for the part of one’s life that’s punctuated by deeply introspective walks in the blistering heat.
Section 3. My music.
Section 4. Writing
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Section 4. Writing -
After Forever, a sci-fi romantic dramedy, continues with this, its final instalment. The work is a narrative that’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans – as we know them – exist only as stored consciousnesses without physical bodies.
Chapter 7 of the story concludes the series, and serves as a culmination of introspective journeys and decisions about personal and collective futures. It wraps up the narrative by reflecting on the essence of existence and human connections in a new era.
In Chapter 6 of 'After Forever,' a conversation unfolds between the protagonist and Anax about their relationship and the decision to create new life. This chapter delves into memory, perception, and the evolution of identity in a post-apocalyptic world, highlighting the complexities of understanding and evolving within relationships in a world in which humans have no bodies.
After Forever, a sci-fi romantic dramedy, continues with this, its fifth instalment. The work is a narrative that’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans – as we know them – exist only as stored consciousnesses without physical bodies.
Chapter 5 of the story offers a deep philosophical exploration of life's meanings and expectations in a transformed world. The protagonist engages in introspection, questioning the purpose and significance of their actions, while pondering if they should have a child with their partner of ten years
Chapter 4 marks the halfway point of After Forever: a novel that’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans – as we know them – exist only as stored consciousnesses without physical bodies. This chapter centres on the protagonist's internal struggle over the decision to do the equivalent of creating new life in this dystopian world, or to use the parlance of the novel, ‘come together’.
Chapter 3 of 'After Forever' delves into the introspective lives of non-bodied beings. Exploring themes of emotion, consciousness, and the nature of thought, it contrasts their existence with human experiences, highlighting the impact of their artificial limitations in a thought-provoking narrative.
After Forever is a story of a post-apocalyptic world where humans are generated consciousnesses. Part 2 explores dynamics of love, existence, and humanity. In this part, our protagonist grapples with the decision to reproduce in this new world, while navigating a complex relationship with the enigmatic essayist Anax, who constantly wonders what it means to be human.
Teeth of the Sea’s 2023 record, Hive, is one of my favourite records of the year. It’s a tightly produced alt-psych rock record. It’s low on lyrics, high on sonic exploration. And it manages to occupy this fairly unique space without sounding like a prog record (thank goodness).