Éliane Radigue has died at 94; portraits – “the sound before sound”

Who but Éliane Radigue could work with sound as a medium seemingly in the air and environment itself; whose presence spanned every epoch of electronic music and contemporary acoustic composition quite like her? Radigue has died at 94, as reported today by her label and publisher.

“Magic Can Be Fun”: remembering Ken Downie of The Black Dog

Much about The Black Dog was and remains wrapped in an air of mystery and mischief, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that Ken Downie’s death this week came as an unexpected shock to those outside of his small immediate circle.

David Abravanel - December 23, 2025

RIP, Mark Snow: listen to the composer talk about scoring X-Files and more

Mark Snow, the mind-bogglingly prolific composer behind scores for Blue Bloods, Smallville, and the X-Files has died at age 78. From TV to film to games, Snow’s take on electronic music scoring has left a mark on many of us. Here he is talking about his take on music, and some reflections on that unforgettable X-Files score.

Peter Kirn - July 9, 2025