Brian HoweContributor

The 10th Øya Festival featured a diverse range of indie-friendly music from Sonic Youth to Clipse, the National to Girl Talk, My Bloody Valentine to Sigur Rós, Okkervil River to Sunn 0))) as well as a host of big Now artists-- Cut Copy, Fleet Foxes, No Age, Yeasayer, Lykke Li, the Bug, and Lindstrøm, among others.

We speak to Microphones/Mount Eerie's Phil Elvrum about the recent reissue of his seminal The Glow Pt. 2, trying to write the story of the universe, the geography that informs his music, and his affection for black metal act Xasthur.

The Baltimore dream-pop duo on David Lynch, Led Zeppelin, cockroaches, and their sophomore album, Devotion.

This month we examine some of the best recent instrumental drone records, including Mico Nonet's The Marmalade Balloon [above] and numerous works by David Wenngren (Library Tapes, Forestflies).

The man formerly known as Smog-- once terse and enigmatic in interviews-- is here direct and forthcoming about his music, his decision to drop his more famous name, and about the tinges of misogyny and violence that has often shaded his work.

The classically trained harpist reminds her audience that craft and musicianship can be preferable to authenticity signifiers and indie tropes.

We spoke to the singer-songwriter behind one of the year's best records-- the exquisite, brave Ys-- about why its songs are so long, how Van Dyke Parks and an orchestra became involved, and how she handles replicating the complex music live.

The Ann Arbor trio melts industrial rock in molten noise that's as detrimental to the body as the mind, while prolific opener John Wiese grooms a tense drone.

The experience of watching BYOP is-- much like the experience of being in BYOP-- one best enjoyed by a teenager. And that's no insult.

Colin Meloy on how signing to a major label impacted his band's exquisite The Crane Wife, why it isn't a concept album, and his love of narrative lyrics.

Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC: 3 October 2006

Japanese band brings its stoner metal-- a combination of muscular rock and abstract drone-- to the States.