What does it feel like to attend Glastonbury for the first time?

Music journalist Emma Wilkes brings us along for her debut pilgrimage to the UK's landmark musical gathering. She spins us a sonic diary with interviews from Terminal 1 and Laima Layton, along with reactions to some of the politically charged moments of the festival (shouts to Amyl and the Sniffers).

Along the way, there are vox pops with strangers, overlooked corners, and moments that slipped under the mainstream radar…

00:00 Introduction

01:51 Pre-festival preparation with Emma Wilkes

03:26 Attendees' expectations of Glastonbury 2025

04:22 First impressions and Thursday observations

06:19 Terminal 1 and an interview with Laima Layton

18:32 The sounds of Worthy Farm

19:12 How does the real-life festival compare to the coverage seen previously?

21:45 The political moments of Glastonbury 2025

30:42 The journey home, the Tuesday after, and a summary from a slightly raspy Emma

34:11 Expectations vs. reality with the people of the festival

Mentioned in the episode:

Laima Layton

In Place Of War

GRRRL

Terminal 1

Amyl and the Sniffers

JADE

Seun Kuti

Maruja

Lambrini Girls

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How do you build genuine community when algorithms reward viral moments over real connection? What if sustainable music careers start with just five super fans rather than chasing millions of followers?

Drowned in Sound founder & artist manager Sean Adams speaks with Nikki Camilleri - music strategist, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and founder of mana - about the ground-level realities of building a music career in 2025.

From growing up in Malta and navigating geographic disadvantage to working with breakthrough artists like Cat Burns, Nikki breaks down what actually works in today's oversaturated landscape.

This conversation digs deep into authentic community-building versus audience accumulation, the "five super fans" principle that challenges conventional wisdom, and why most artist advice around social media is fundamentally broken.

Plus: Nikki's vision for fixing music industry infrastructure by 2050, including transparency tools and direct fan connection platforms that don't rely on algorithmic gatekeepers.

"You need five super fans to start getting going - that's equal to about 250 passive fans. When you start looking at it that way, it doesn't seem as daunting."

— Nikki Camilleri on why quality beats quantity in fan building

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction: Music Reality Check for 2025
• 02:03 Envisioning Music in 2050: Transparency and Infrastructure
• 04:34 The Malta Factor: Geographic Disadvantage in Digital Times
• 08:26 The Resilience Crisis: From "Ready to Fight" to Viral Expectations
• 16:28 Five Super Fans vs Viral Algorithms: Quality Over Quantity
• 20:14 Real Community vs Audience: Building Genuine Connection
• 32:15 Artist Purpose and Identity: The "Horror Electronica" Story
• 39:21 Fixing the Industry: Where Would You Spend Spotify's Money?
• 44:48 Key Takeaways: What Actually Works

Mentioned in the episode:

Nikki Camilleri

ROSTR

Royal Society of Arts

Volt.fm

Kat Abu

The Anchoress

Kevin Kelly on 1000 True Fans

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What does it mean to “metabolize” emotion through music? Do wellness tools actually work better when paired with your favourite artist? Why does the music industry treat artists like products and not caregivers?

Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams is joined by Ariana Alexander-Sefre, co-founder of the mental health app SPOKE⁠, to talk about the future of therapy and how music can play a pivotal role in that. The conversation explores the science behind sound, the emotional toll on musicians, and why music should be taken seriously as a public health tool.

Spoke has worked with over 100 artists, training them in techniques like CBT and mindfulness to embed into lyrics and melodies - and the results are changing lives.

Episode chapters:

0:00 - 2:45 - Introduction

2:46 - 4:55 What would Ariana hope music to be like in 2050?

4:56 - 7:46 Using music to “metabolize” emotions

7:47 - 11:50 Who are SPOKE and who is Ariana Alexandre-Sefre

11:51 - 13:42 The relationship between music and mental health

13:43 - 20:28 Inside the SPOKE app - embedding music with culture with therapy

20:29 - 31:18 Why the music industry needs a fresh perspective on artist value

31:19 - 37:08 The science behind functional music and mindfulness

38:09 - 40:04 The real-world impact of therapy delivered through music

40:05 - 48:08 Can artists become a recognised part of healthcare?

48:09 - 54:13 - Closing thoughts from Sean

Mentioned in the episode:

Music Minds Matter

Can Music Make You Sick? (Sally Anne Gross)

Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist (Liz Pelly)

Endel

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What does a melting glacier sound like? Can a rainforest sing? And what happens when the last bird of its species hears a recording and tries to reply?

In this special live edition of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, recorded at Tallinn Music Week, host Sean Adams moderates a powerful conversation on music, ecology, and collective action. Joined by artists and innovators from the EarthSonic project, the panel explores how field recordings, plant biofeedback, and immersive sound can shift our understanding of the planet — and why that emotional shift matters.

From Brazil’s disappearing biodiversity to sound fossils in the Swiss Alps, this episode weaves together music, activism, and indigenous wisdom in an urgent yet hopeful conversation about art’s role in averting climate collapse.

Plus Ruth from In Place of War reveals their new project with Bicep in Greenland that launches in summer 2025.

Featured Guests & Projects:

• ⁠Natural Symphony (Joey Dean)⁠
• ⁠Ludwig Berger⁠
• ⁠In Place of War / EarthSonic (Ruth Daniel)⁠
• ⁠Martyn Ware (Heaven 17 / Human League)⁠

Episode Highlights & Timestamps:

• 03:00 – Ruth Daniel on the origins of In Place of War and EarthSonic
• 06:00 – Ludwig Berger: Listening to melting glaciers through hydrophones
• 11:00 – Martyn Ware (Heaven 17/The Human League) on sonifying endangered species and synthetic forests
• 17:00 – Natural Symphony: Collaborating with plants and reforesting the Amazon
• 27:00 – The power of sound to bridge disconnection and inspire action
• 33:00 – Building cultural change through art and emotional resonance
• 39:00 – Sound healing, deep listening, and making the unseen audible
• 45:00 – What capitalism doesn’t want us to feel — and why art matters
• 52:00 – Indigenous wisdom, urban detachment, and finding your own tree
• 58:00 – Hopeful projects, collective agency, and calling in the music industry

Mentioned in the Episode:

• "The Last Scream" new release
• Crying Glacier movie

• EarthSonic panel replay via the TMW.EE website

Join the Conversation:

• Drowned in Sound Community
• Email Sean → sean@drownedinsound.org
• Follow Sean on Bluesky
• Subscribe to the DiS Newsletter

What did the future sound like when the synthesizer first arrived? What does it feel like now, with AI looming and immersive audio spaces on the rise?

In this special episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, recorded at Tallinn Music Week, Sean Adams speaks with Martyn Ware — founder of The Human League and Heaven 17, producer for acts ranging from Tina Turner to Erasure, and creator of some of the UK’s most ambitious sound installations.

This is a conversation about optimism and dystopia, about punk and purpose, and about how DIY culture in Sheffield shaped a career that’s still future-facing today.

Martyn also reflects on his podcast Electronically Yours, the legacy of sound, and how creative freedom can reshape confidence, community, and cultural memory.

Timestamps & Topics:

• 01:32 – Synths, Sheffield, and starting out
• 07:00 – Curiosity and creative confidence
• 10:00 – From charts to immersive installations
• 14:30 – Podcasting and preserving legacy
• 20:00 – What would a Martyn Ware bar sound like?
• 25:00 – Optimism, memory, and what comes next

Further Listening & Resources:

• 🎙️ Electronically Yours podcast
• 🔊 Illustrious Company (immersive audio)
• 🧠 Sounds of Our Shores installation

Stay Connected:

• 🗣 Drowned in Sound Community
• 📩 Email Sean → sean@drownedinsound.org
• 🔵 Follow Sean on Bluesky
• 📰 Subscribe to the DiS Newsletter

About the Guest:

Martyn Ware is a pioneering British musician, producer, and sound artist. As a founding member of The Human League and Heaven 17, and co-founder of British Electric Foundation, he helped define the sound of synth-pop while pushing boundaries in spatial audio, immersive installations, and political music-making. He also hosts the acclaimed podcast Electronically Yours.

About the Host:

Sean Adams turned his passion for music into Drowned in Sound, a UK-based music platform that launched in 2000. He also manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, and works across strategic communications in the music and creative sectors.

What's it like to be an artist right now? And what does the future of music look like? Will it be AI-generated slop or a joyful return to community and creativity?

In this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, Sean Adams speaks to Becky Hawley from the art-pop trio Stealing Sheep.

From the launch of their new label G-IRL (Girl In Real Life) to their reflections on DIY culture, Liverpool’s music scene, and 15 years of creative evolution, this episode is full of inspiring insights about building something real in a digital world. Expect discussion of Daft Punk, community over algorithms, mechanical bulls, offline joy, and what it really means to be a band in 2025.

📌 Key Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro & New Album Campaign
• 01:56 – What Will Music Be Like in 2050?
• 04:54 – Joy, Fears, and Creative Challenges
• 07:19 – The Sound of Stealing Sheep: Riding the Bull of Tech
• 10:37 – G-IRL: Launching Their Own Record Label
• 20:33 – Liverpool as Inspiration & Music City
• 25:23 – Album Campaign Concepts & Offline Joy
• 29:18 – Let’s Go! New Single & Album Themes
• 30:59 – Artistic Identity, Collaborations & Creative Growth
• 33:50 – Lessons Learned from 15 Years in Music
• 38:05 – Building Community, Offline Spaces, & Human Connection
• 42:57 – Supporting Grassroots Scenes
• 49:01 – AI, Future Tech & Music’s Utopian Possibilities
• 52:21 – Final Reflections: What Artists Need to Unlearn

Links

• New Single “Let’s Go”
• Watch the Music Video
• Tatty Devine Collab
• Guerrilla Girls

Join the Conversation:

• 🗣 Drowned in Sound Community
• 📩 Email Sean → sean@drownedinsound.org
• 🔵 Follow on Bluesky

About the Guest:

Becky Hawley is one-third of Stealing Sheep, a Liverpool-based band known for their innovative, genre-defying sound. The trio recently launched their own record label, G-IRL (Girl In Real Life), to support their own work and that of other boundary-pushing creatives.

About the Host:

Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, a pioneering music webzine launched in 2000. He also manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, and works across campaigns that support independent and ethical approaches to music and media.

Drowned in Sound founder and DiS podcast host, Sean Adams answers your questions. Send Qs for future episodes to sean@drownedinsound.org.

Links mentioned in this episode

• Article: Cafe Oto at Oscars - The Guardian
• Artist Recommendation: Nina Versyp
• Artist Recommendation: TTSSFU
• Artist Recommendation: Maella
• Video: Apple on Dolby Atmos
• Ticket App: Dice
• Link: Tim Burgess listening party
• Article: Bjork immersive album Bowers + Wilkins
• Drink: Icelandic drink Black Death
• Venue Recommendation: Trades Club in Hebden Bridge

Music by Sound Mirror, available on Bandcamp here: https://sound-mirror.bandcamp.com/album/lake-wind-water-mountain

Your Questions:

Alex Lee Thompson: Are ”scenes” over? Unpack that question as you like

Simon Marshall: After the excellent live bands to look out for article, sponsored by Seetickets, I would be interested in your views on the ticket selling part of the music industry - as a music consumer the DICE app was and is a revelation, what is your experience, and what is the best place to buy to support artists and venues?

Ear Protect Req: What three bands or artists should we be checking out live?

Soundmirrorworld: Will the Atmos, immersive audio bubble burst? Or keep going ’til we’re full frontal?

Alex Botten: What do you think about the hoards of zombie cover bands eating up local venues. Are they helping or hurting the scene? (I believe profoundly hurting)

Eric Weiner: Would love to hear your thoughts on the listening party. Are they ever any good? What’s the perfect album release party?

Grimes quote in full: Honestly the thing I like most about k pop is its an actual scene - reminds me Canadian punk scenes or the indie scene back in the day where like if your integrated enough there's like a constant feed of beauty with sort of known rituals, built in community, and like a collective excitement that is contagious and life affirming. I see how music scenes function effectively as a quasi religious institutions in a secular society. The extreme corporatization of music followed by Covid was very culturally harmful imo cuz a healthy modern music scene is actually a functional religious replacement - if one assumes the mind is better served by access to a healthy community that produces art, has events, shared morality and values, messiahs haha etc. Techno and emo rap similarly ensnared me over the last decade to an extent but they seem less "all ages"