Snaps

With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, our Poland-based writer realized that much of her favorite experimental music that was considered Russian is actually from Ukraine. Did she unwittingly practice «musical imperialism»?

The audiovisual artist Shaahin Peymani and his family share a long history of migration from Iran to Germany and back. Here he maps the route from his German grandmother’s migration diary alongside one of his own compositions.

A round-up of the cosmopolitan classical musical culture in Iran. Starting with music scholars of the Qajar era (1796–1925) and ending with the global music scene of the 21^st century, from both the diaspora and from home.

Die Klarinettistin Shabnam Parvaresh beschreibt die Musik ihrer Kindheit und Jugend. Die Erinnerungen an ihr Elternhaus verbinden sich mit geliebten Tonträgern und endlosen Downloads. Was sie als Musikerin noch im Gepäck hatte, entdeckte sie aber erst in Deutschland.

The audiovisual artist Shaahin Peymani and his family share a long history of migration from Iran to Germany and back. Here he maps the route from his German grandmother’s migration diary alongside one of his own compositions.

A poetic encounter with the different family histories of poet Tanasgol Sabbah and bassist Reza Askari. Weaving together experience, memory, and narrative, this piece switches between languages, and allows uncertainty about what is said and what is imagined.

Kamwangi Njue traces the story of political (i.e. conscious) music in Kenya, drawing on his own biography. He asks: Can conscious music achieve the impact it seeks when it has to play in the same sphere as popular music made purely for entertainment?

All music is social commentary, argues Joyce Nyairo, as she deviates away from «conscious music» to consider the intended and unintended messages in current Nairobi pop.