
Music


We need to talk about Fred… Again
Frederick John Philip Gibson hasn’t exactly built his career from the ground up, but his tunes are huge, he has a mega fanbase and he's just been nominated for the Mercury Prize. So, Clive Martin asks, is it really fair to paint him as the enemy of dance music?

The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by THE FACE: a playlist featuring Harmony, Travis Scott, Llainwire and Paris Texas.
C.FRIM: “If you’re not dancing, you’re not listening”
100%: In the run up to her Dekmantel debut, we ask the Aussie DJ about weird voice notes, Filipino delicacies and how she went from DJing house parties to festivals.

How fans are unravelling the mysteries of K‑pop music videos
As more and more groups launch with ever-evolving back stories, a digital cottage industry of analysis has sprung up, with fandoms seeking to decode the hidden messages in each release.

The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by THE FACE: a playlist featuring J Hus, PinkPantheress and Destroy Lonely, Hannah Diamond and Erick the Architect.

Sexyy Red doesn’t get the controversy
The St. Louisian rapper laughs at critics and her own jokes. With the viral success of Pound Town and a raucous appearance at the BET Awards, she's bringing "raw shit" back into the rap game.

Vamp Mode: the day Wireless went goth
Inspired by Friday's headliner Playboi Carti, thousands of fans braved the scorching sun in a rap and metal merging style known as "opium" (think: Mayhem meets The Matrix). Who said subculture was dead?

Bras to brie: why people throw things on stage
Pink, Harry Styles, Drake... It seems no artist is safe from the recent onslaught of inanimate objects getting chucked at them. What the hell is going on?

’Tis the season of hot, trashy bangers
From Padam Padam to (It Goes Like) Nanana, we are living through a wave of unapologetic splashy, trashy music. About time we got over ourselves...

Last orders: are sober ravers drying up UK nightlife?
Studies show that Gen Z are drinking less, which could be catastrophic for small venues that rely on booze sales. But instead of blaming young non-drinkers, shouldn't the model be overhauled entirely? As further discussed on THE FACE podcast, which you can listen to here.

The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by THE FACE: a playlist featuring AntsLive, Mahalia and KennyHoopla.

METTE: the ex-Pharrell dancer turned matcha-powered musician
100% : Having spent five years dancing for Pharrell, METTE now has plenty of her own tracks in the works. We asked her all about matcha lattes, cute DMs and the world’s best lip balm. Pucker up.

Candice Carty-Williams’ UK rap drama Champion is truly authentic
THE FACE Podcast: The South London author tells us about her thrilling new TV show.

Inside the old school boozer fuelling Manchester’s rave scene
The Derby Brewery Arms is throwing some of the best queer parties in the area.

The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by THE FACE: a playlist featuring Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Uzi Vert, muva of Earth and Ethan P. Flynn.

R&B heartthrobs No Guidnce: “I heard koalas all have chlamydia”
100%: We quiz Kaci, Zeekay, Josh and Ebubé about girls, inappropriate DMs and, er, koala diseases.

Glastonbury highlights: Elton, late Lana and T‑shirt cannons
THE FACE Podcast: The team reports back from the world’s best music festival.

Conducta’s Glastonbury photo diary
The UK garage torchbearer documented his admirable mission to try and play three sets across the festival.

Downtown Kayoto is Hull’s next great musical hope
Having just finished his medical biochem degree, this 22-year-old is gearing up to hit it big time, with Pharrell-approved melodies and a knack for cooking banging roasts.

Harmony is embracing optimistic pop
Following the breakup of her much-loved band Girlpool, the LA musician is finding a creative route out of her toxic patterns.

The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by THE FACE: a playlist featuring Jorja Smith, Asake, Bambii and Doja Cat.

10 acts you should see at Glastonbury
Spoiler: none of them are Guns N’ Roses.

Leigh-Anne on life after Little Mix
The British pop star joins THE FACE team to chat about diversity in the music industry and her brand new solo career.