Under The Influence

On his latest album, ‘Bolted’, the distinctive “sonic vocabulary” of producer Matthew Barnes – aka Forest Swords – feels more expansive than ever. Given his wide-ranging influences, it’s no surprise

Bristol producer/DJ Jim Coles – aka Om Unit – has been exploring the outer reaches of dub, hip hop and downtempo for over 20 years. With the reissue of his 2013 debut album, ‘Threads’, he delves into the elements that shape him and his music

With the release of his debut solo album, ‘Outta Sync’, musician, DJ and filmmaker Don Letts shines a light on what made him who he is

It’s 40 years since Howard Jones first crashed into the Top 10 with ‘New Song’. To mark the occasion, Cherry Red have issued a superb career retrospective, ‘Celebrate It Together’. And it all started with the coolest teacher in High Wycombe

On ‘Baba Soirée’, his new collaborative album with Michel Banabila, mechanical instrument maestro Pierre Bastien revels in unusual ways to manipulate the sound of his cornet. His influences are a steady diet of artistic rule-breakers… and tiny circuses

With the release of ‘Balearic Breakfast: Volume 2’, an album informed by her eclectic radio shows on Worldwide FM, Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy shares her key influences

New York art-popster Frankie Rose reflects on Brooklyn venues, synth epiphanies and her love of film

Brian Eno, essential bits of kit, and the importance of family – uber-producer and Simian Mobile Disco man James Ellis Ford discusses his life and loves

Acclaimed British film director Peter Strickland’s most recent feature ‘Flux Gourmet’ takes inspiration from his own formative experiences manipulating sound recordings of vegetarian cookery. He would also like to thank Bauhaus, Mantovani and, er, owls