ALARM 38 Invisible Overlooked Albums & Unseen Artists

Obscured. Imperceptible. Hidden in plain sight.

The world is rife with extraordinary musicians and artists, tirelessly dedicated to their crafts, who are buried beneath the buzz. We have long since learned that the best and most innovative creators do not cater to the lowest common denominator; instead, they are unflinching in their artistic visions — and, as a result, often found only by audiences that are determined to discover.

In Alarm 38, amid scores of such devoted individuals, we meet:

• A Japanese-American master of the Tsugaru-shamisen, splicing thrash metal with a consummate command of an ancient instrument
• A surrealist digital-collage artist and former record-label owner, fueled by the marriage of art and music as well as a newfound spiritualit
• An Australian tango-tinged lounge ensemble whose seamless amalgamations call upon spy music, Italian Western motifs, and Gypsy marches
• A hard-hitting synth-rock trio that has survived in spite of — and likely due to — an intercontinental divide
• A group of New Yorkers who hold exhibitions in unsold condos, challenging the notion of what makes a proper art space
• A string trio beholden to the traditions of Americana and early African-American folk — but unafraid to transform a pop hit that perched atop the Billboard Top 100
• A grade-school language-arts teacher who makes hip hop for people who "know their Basquiat as well as their basketball."

Beyond the echo-chamber blogosphere, these visionaries toil in relative obscurity, content to please themselves and anyone fortunate enough to cross their paths. Alarm is dedicated, more than ever, to presenting as many of these artisans as possible in each robust installment. If you're constantly in search of what you might be missing, let this be your guide.

Obscured. Imperceptible. Hidden in plain sight. The world is rife with extraordinary musicians and artists, tirelessly dedicated to their crafts, who are buried beneath the buzz. Alarm 38 introduces such devoted individuals amid scores.

Obscured. Imperceptible. Hidden in plain sight. 

 The world is rife with extraordinary musicians and artists, tirelessly dedicated to their crafts, who are buried beneath the buzz. We have long since learned that the best and most innovative creators do not cater to the lowest common denominator; instead, they are unflinching in their artistic visions—and, as a result, often found only by audiences that are determined to discover.

 In ALARM 38, amid scores of such devoted individuals, we meet: A Japanese-American master of the Tsugaru-shamisen, splicing thrash metal with a consummate command of an ancient instrument An Australian tango-tinged lounge ensemble whose seamless amalgamations call upon spy music, Italian Western motifs, and Gypsy marches A hard-hitting synth-rock trio that has survived in spite of—and likely due to—an intercontinental divide A group of New Yorkers who hold exhibitions in unsold condos, challenging the notion of what makes a proper art space A string trio beholden to the traditions of Americana and early African-American folk—but unafraid to transform a pop hit that perched atop the Billboard Top 100 A grade-school language-arts teacher who makes hip hop for people who “know their Basquiat as well as their basketball.”  Beyond the echo-chamber blogosphere, these visionaries toil in relative obscurity, content to please themselves and anyone fortunate enough to cross their paths. ALARM is dedicated, more than ever, to presenting as many of these artisans as possible in each robust installment. If you’re constantly in search of what you might be missing, let this be your guide.

Publisher, editor, and visual artist Chris Force began Alarm as a small, DIY publication in 1995. After studying Chinese ink painting and ceramics at the Massachusetts College of Art and Tsinghua University in Beijing, he attained an MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and moved the publication to Illinois. Today, Alarm is a Chicago-based national music and art periodical with roots and heart in independent culture.

Now serving as Alarm's music editor, Scott Morrow has more than a half-decade of professional experience in print and web publishing. His credits outside of Alarm include subsidiaries of NBC Universal and the Sun-Times News Group, and he has worked across a broad content area, covering music, culture, sports, and architecture.