#paul-izzo

#paul-izzo

Lopatin's music has spanned genres and mediums, with the composer filling various roles, but its through line is its sense of the uncanny and Lopatin's understanding of how warping sonic textures can tap into surreality.

No Fun Fest returns to NYC for the first time since 2009 as No Fun New Perspectives, a three-day event featuring avant-garde and improvisational music.

All but one of the song titles on Body Sound, the debut album from experimental string trio Whitney Johnson, Lia Kohl, and Macie Stewart, line up nicely-a few words, usually two, usually nouns, separated by a vertical line. The straight line in the middle means different things in different disciplines. In computing, it's called a 'pipe' and serves as a conduit. In poetry, it denotes a pause or break. In music, it marks the beginning and end of measures.

"Many found the music offensive, the dancing objectionable, and the popularity of both with young people verging on a mental health crisis." So writes music historian Susan C. Cook about ragtime, the heavily syncopated ancestor of jazz that arose in the late 1800s. Like all things, ragtime's subversiveness faded over time, and, a century later, the works of Scott Joplin and other practitioners had been relegated to carnivals and fairs, their jaunty piano melodies now evoking quaint notions of old-timey fun.

Formed at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the group blends technical precision with expressive range, moving comfortably between classical staples and contemporary compositions. Their programs often highlight contrast, pairing the clarity and balance of Haydn with modern textures that stretch tone and color.

The duo had originally confirmed their sophomore album Top of the Hills back in December 2025, but soon after, they announced that they had shelved the album due to exhaustion from touring. Now, Top of the Hills has been remade as FREE SPIRITS, and they've introduced a dramatic new narrative along with it; according to a press release, the duo underwent a 12-step healing program at a wellness center run by Sting, who they've enlisted as a collaborator and "wellness mentor."

Intense listening capabilities from these exquisite players which required, more than anything else, a great deal of trust. They posited about thematic structures, which somehow got agreed upon, live in the moment through a collective groupthink. Right there on stage. No words spoken, just an exchange of bizarrely intense looks. Ranging from 'we're almost there' to 'don't you dare.' That's trust, people.