self-titled

03/19/2026

Psyched to say we've finally ended the indefinite hiatus of our longtime Needle Exchange mix series with a widescreen set from . Custom built for cushy headphones like her new LP, it takes its time building up tension and defies gravity with its inherent grasp of deeply human dynamics and glassy, electronic grooves.

If you're a fan of ' stellar 'Artificial Intelligence' series or Struiwigh's past work for , , and , this one is a MUST.

Listen for free over at the 🔗 in our bio!

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03/10/2026

In our latest Substack post, (, , ) delves into the delicate yet dark 🎹 pieces that inspired his new album 'Nocturnes'.

Tap the link in our bio to listen to everything from Morton Feldman to Erik Satie, and read the multi-instrumentalist / composer / producer's track notes, which detail the "sonic decay," "rippling sound effects" and "delicate, magical melodies" he channels on his own 🌙-lit LP.

As always, our new content is free and paid subscriptions are purely optional since the paywall saturation point is very real.

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✍️ by

01/30/2026

Earlier this week, we made the case for a Rage Against The Machine reunion in Minneapolis — one that would reward the city for its tireless, and at times deadly, efforts to protect our neighbors against ICE.

The next best thing appears to be happening today: a benefit show for the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at First Avenue & 7th St Entry featuring Tom Morello, Rise Against, Al Di Meola, Ike Reilly and a "very special guest" (Bruce Springsteen, singing his new MPLS anthem?).

Tickets for the noon (!) show appear to be sold out, so here's the next best thing: raw footage of RATM protesting the RNC outside Minnesota's state capitol in 2008. The fan at the beginning says it all about Minnesota's enduring spirit in the face of questionable political forces (ones supporting the Iraq War and the FBI's surveillance of activists in this case).

Head over to our new Substack for more about the band's history of playing here and why we'd like one last set!

03/14/2025

We haven’t been to SXSW in years, so here’s the next best thing: a look back at the "Disposable Icons" series we ran back in 2011-2013, including exclusive candids from , , , , , , , , , x , , and .

Tap the Substack 🔗 in our bio for a look!

12/03/2024

say 👋 to self-titled 2.0:
https://selftitledmag.substack.com

11/21/2024

"Meditation is the best gateway for humans to understand they’re more than just matter. It gives them hope." — Aisha Devi

"This invisible force empowers us to live in another dimension"

11/15/2024

Don’t tell anyone, but we’ve soft-launched self-titled 2.0 on Substack as a way to celebrate our first 16 years and publish new pieces that are a little more insightful than a seemingly endless death cycle of song premieres, hot takes, and half-baked reviews.

Phase one of our rollout focuses on stories you may have missed or forgotten. Case in point: 's thoughtful response to Pitchfork’s roundup of the 50 ‘best’ ambient records. More than a mere playlist, it finds the / / alum decoding the very definition of background music.

Or as one of our new Bluesky followers put it, “Find myself often recycling the same ambient LPs because I want ambient often, and because searching ‘best ambient’ usually reveals those same LPs or and/or cheese…. This is a very welcome find from RAI, should keep me busy for months .”

11/10/2024

The calm before the chaos at last night’s Godspeed You! Black Emperor show, which leaned heavily on the band’s lovely new LP but also managed to work in walloping sections from ‘Lift Your Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven’, ‘Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress’, and ‘G_d’s P*e at State’s End!’. Nearly two hours long, it started with one of their signature “Hope Drone” sketches and ended with just two members onstage, teasing the last bit of lingering power out of the collective’s tightly wound set pieces.

What a way to end a rough week…. This is just the beginning of a long run that includes a second round of stateside dates, too, so 🏃‍♂️ don’t 🚶‍♂️if you’re interested in experiencing all of Godspeed’s extremes in person.

Doubly so if you’re lucky enough to have Alan Sparhawk of opening with his son Cyrus. Seeing his solo material split into two distinct halves — the paranoid android passages of ‘White Roses, My God’ and the stark poetry of a looming collab with — is like watching someone workshop the next stage of their life in realtime. And like Godspeed, it’s not just cathartic. It feels like a full-on, collective form of spiritual cleansing.

In other words, I’m not crying; YOU’RE crying!

11/09/2024

Heal yourself with hardcore on our new Substack

May the Reagan era revival begin

10/15/2024

We've seen a bunch of times, but nothing could have prepared us for the raw, peak-of-their-powers racket that reverberated through last week. To be honest, our ears are STILL ringing.

More than just a mere retread of their breakthrough record 'Amplifier Worship', the performance was a powerful reminder of the trio's roots and all the avant-garde shades of punk, metal, drone and psych they've dabbled in over the past three decades.

While she stood off to the side for most of the show, lead guitarist Wata was in command of the band's chaos the entire time. (The tour's called 'Amplifier Worship Service' for a reason.) Her longtime partner in life and creativity, Atsuo, was happy to seize the spotlight and trade lumbering drum lines with guest percussionist Muchio as bassist/singer Takeshi brought things home beautifully off to the right of the stage.

Quite possibly the best set we've ever seen Boris play, the night was a not-so-gentle reminder to wear protection at 💯 decibel shows like this and never underestimate a power trio named after a tune.

08/19/2024

Back from the 💀 with some prime elder millennial material: a look at Green Day's totally '90s tour with Rancid + The Smashing Pumpkins

A reminder of what made the MTV era so vital in the days before digital music

04/12/2024

In honor of Thursday releasing their first new song in 13 years tonight, here is a shot of the band opening for their old buddies My Chemical Romance at Xcel Energy Center.

Look out for our long overdue look at "Full Collapse" this fall, when s/t has a fresh coat of paint and Geoff Rickly and co. revisit their post-hardcore masterpiece at When We Were Young!