EM GUIDE stats: The most popular articles of our initial stage

The initial period of the EM GUIDE project is approaching to an end with an impressive number of created and shared articles during the 20 months of the project:  

— 289 high-quality articles have been originally crafted by a diverse group of writers from 6 members of the EM GUIDE network; each article tackles a relevant topic around music and culture contributed by a trusted expert of the topic; 

— 306 articles have been re-publications of the 289 articles, in some cases, translated to local languages, every time published by one of the 6 members to promote the article for their local audiences.  

We observe that some of the original articles got very popular and shared by all members. Although the network at this stage is arguably small, still, its 6 members have audience in different parts of Europe, a wide and diverse focus on coverage themes and a liking for different genres. Therefore, we think that articles that made it to all magazines are interesting to look at. So which articles have these been? 

The voices that wait 

An essay by Kika Echeverría, Berlin-based anthropologist and sound researcher from Chile, explores her encounter with the archive of «Chile al día», a broadcast transmitted by Radio Berlin International in the GDR between 1973 and 1990, during the same period as Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile.  

A Düsseldorf-based label exploring local sounds, music from other regions and histories of forgotten scenes 

An interview with Stefan Schneider, musician and founder of the Düsseldorf-based label TAL, who tells about his mission to connect local and global sounds through releases such as from Kenyan field recordings, Japanese art-punk and Venezuelan archives; and how TAL resists genre labels and emphasizes ethical collaboration, forgotten histories, and decentralizing German music culture beyond Berlin. 

Time doesn't work; here it doesn't make sense - an interview with Ankali 

Started as a regular visit to Prague’s famous club Ankali, MMN Mag asked two members of the club’s core team about the venue’s evolution, its unique atmosphere, and how it challenges conventional perceptions of time, space, and club culture. 

Underground Culture Under Threat I. — Georgia’s illiberal turn and resistance movement 

Georgia’s culture, especially its electronic music scene has long been a space for artistic expression and resistance. The article is a first part of a split feature drawing connections between the country’s political climate and its local music scene. The essay explores how recent efforts by the government to pass restrictive “foreign agent” and anti-LGBTQ+ laws have sparked widespread concerns, and how, in response, local cultural communities, particularly those in the music scene, have been organizing protests to defend civil rights, marginalized groups, and their creative spaces.