Nick: To wind it back, when did you first start listening to music outside of just the radio? Was this something gradual or was this always present down to your earliest memories?

 

Duncan: I was raised on some awesome music! I grew up on songs from Pavement, Pixies, Nirvana, Beastie Boys, and a hundred other great bands and singers who I have my parents to thank for passing down to me. Like any other kid, I had my phases of obsession, particularly one with Imagine Dragons (they were better back in 2015), but it wasn’t until I binged the whole Gorillaz discography that the prospect of seeking out more music for myself became prevalent. Their range really broadened my taste.

 

Nick: Why did you start reviewing music and when did this take place? Did its debut occur on Rate Your Music, Instagram or something else?

 

Duncan: I started jotting down notes about my favorite songs for my own enjoyment around late 2018, a venture that lasted well over a year despite having no public audience or long-term aim, but the idea of a higher-effort online review journal only began to take shape when the lockdowns began in 2020. Many of my earlier reviews come from drafts that I wrote while biking (yes, during the actual act of biking-there weren’t many cars on the roads, see) over that responsibility-lite extended summer break. I posted my first review on Instagram just a few weeks after I moved to England and the rest is history!

 

Nick: I have to say, not to glaze, but you're probably one of the most consistent writers on both Rate Your Music and Instagram respectively. What’s your writing background and is thisnsomething you pursued academically and if so, for what career or field of study?

 

Duncan: I don’t write professionally. I actually work as a head chef and a graphic designer!- but writing has been omnipresent in my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, I wrote a lengthy series of books that seriously ripped off Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” and later on, my creative writing assignments through middle and high school allowed me to broaden my style. Along with my reviews, I log thousands of words into various personal projects every week. Music is just one of my many inspirations!

 

Nick: What are some of those current personal projects of yours if you’re willing to share?

 

Duncan: I write and illustrate comics during my downtime, make short films with my brother, and take extensive research notes about a range of topics including Greek mythology and Arthurian legends. I blame my attention span. There are always lots of hobbies and projects keeping my brain restless and productive.

 

Nick: I also heard you mention that you’re a chef somewhere sometime ago. How did you get into the culinary arts and become a head chef? Is there a specific type of food you specialize in?

 

Duncan: My dad is a chef, so I’ve always been fascinated by food, but my personal journey started back in 2022. My brother and I worked together in a little takeout burger shop for a few months over the summer, and when I went back to England for university, I immediately started working in a pub to keep that interest going. I took over the kitchen about a year later. We specialize in pizzas and chicken dishes. It’s very fun!

 

Nick: What’s your favorite dish to cook and prepare?

 

Duncan: I have a special place in my heart for Mexican food, and I try my best to emulate those dishes at home for myself and my girlfriend. I also make up my own one-pan recipes every so often. The key to making delicious food is lots of seasoning!

 

Nick: Back to music, do you play any instruments or are you strictly a listener/writer?

 

Duncan: I played the trumpet very poorly in school and rented a saxophone for the sole purpose of playing “The Girl from Ipanema.” Since then, I have felt no urge to learn any instruments. I made a bunch of rough beats on GarageBand in 2020 but I sincerely hope to forget those soon.

 

Nick: How do you tend to first approach and structure a review?

 

Duncan: I let the music take the wheel. It all depends on how the album speaks to me, as I try my best to align the experience with an appropriate setting and mood. Some music makes me want to write a world of my own, while others demand historical context or a brief rundown on the artist’s career. I find that the level of experimentation in an album impacts my style of writing- I wouldn’t throw a string of glitchy text effects into a Led Zeppelin review, but anything goes for a sonic oddity like Qebrμs!

 

Nick: I’m amazed that you’ve managed to pump out three quality reviews per day for years now. How do you find the time outside of life to sit down and write them?

 

Duncan: Funnily enough, I rarely sit down at all when I’m writing! I walk for at least a few hours a day and I find that my mind becomes more creative when the rest of my body is active. If you ever see a dude similar to my profile picture wearing earbuds and typing furiously on his phone, it just might be me.

 

Nick: I also have noticed that there are certain reviews that diverge from this format, taking more creative liberties. I’d like to discuss some of these starting with the 2006 Hypnagogic masterpiece, “1992 Cool Runnings” by Lamborghini Crystal. How do you think the stylistic typography in a sectioned format helped elevate that specific review?

 

Duncan: For context, Lamborghini Crystal is one of James Ferraro’s countless incarnations. Most of my Ferraro reviews have very little to do with the music in a technical or literal way, and instead focus on whatever world his sounds construct in my mind’s eye. This is the case for a lot of ambient-adjacent or otherwise bizarre albums, but I can always rely on Ferraro’s murky tapes to inspire some weirdness in my own creations.