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Microtones

Our newsletter-first column brings you the notes between the notes.

The Water Tower Place lobby atrium, seen from floor level, facing inward toward the offices in the buildings. Multiple large, brightly colored discs hang suspended from the ceiling, and a long, multicolored fabric hanging spans an elevator shaft that runs down the middle of several levels of office space.

Monona’s tilted trapezoid of wonder

By Scott Gordon ● Microtones ● February 24, 2023 February 24, 2023

A visit to Water Tower Place.

Latest in Microtones

A photo taken from the perspective of an ice skater looking downward shoes a pair of skates and the frozen lake ice below it.

Skating on changing ice, in a shifting climate

By Sam Harrington ● Microtones ● February 10, 2023 February 8, 2023

In the future, we’ll get less time to enjoy our frozen lakes.

A hardcover copy of the book Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor, featuring diagonal multicolored stripes across a black background and the title and author in italic capital letters, is shown in a photo with a snowy morning in Madison’s Orton Park in the background. Houses, bare trees, a blue sky, and a stretch of park path are visible in the photo's background.

The not-quite-grown-up Madison of “Filthy Animals”

By Jesse Raub ● Microtones ● February 3, 2023 February 3, 2023

Discovering the city with Brandon Taylor’s short-story collection as a companion.

A still from Cribshitter's "Crystal City" video shows Christine Christenson holding a large crystal in one hand while gazing into a plasma ball toy positioned between her face and the camera. The scene is tinted with purple light, and behind Christenson is a wall with a large cymbal or gong mounted on it.

Madison music starts 2023 off strong

By Steven Spoerl ● Microtones ● January 27, 2023 February 1, 2023

A small collection of records and music videos from January.

A small stuffed shark, crocheted by the author, is shown sitting on a blue sofa cushion.

Surrender to nothing

By Christina Lieffring ● Microtones ● January 13, 2023 January 12, 2023

The rewards and challenges of putting all the projects aside.

An illustration shows multi-colored images of a keyboard, a turntable, a microphone, speakers, a "play" button," and sliders and indicators from a soundboard, all arranged in a grid-like pattern.

Looking back on a year of Madison music’s high notes

By Steven Spoerl ● Microtones ● December 23, 2022 December 23, 2022

Honoring the potency of music coverage during a bounce-back year.

A still from a 2015 video that was produced by "The Guardian" depicting a shared conversation between "Tone Madison" author and musician Steven Spoerl and Perfect Pussy vocalist and journalist Meredith Graves. Both are smiling inside Hand & Detail Car Wash, which played host to a 2015 CMJ showcase that was presented by AdHoc.

Finding harmony in an avalanche of dissonance

By Steven Spoerl ● Microtones ● December 16, 2022 December 16, 2022

The benefits of subverting traditional norms within music journalism.

A photo shows a dense field of plants in sunlight, with a small insect just barely visible in the frame.

Get our new Madison music compilation, “To Grow A Garden”

By Steven Spoerl ● Microtones ● December 2, 2022 December 2, 2022

Featuring unreleased tracks from some great Madison artists.

A black-and-white photo shows a close-up of musician Mimi Parker's face.

I need your grace

By Scott Gordon ● Microtones ● November 11, 2022 November 11, 2022

The incomprehensible loss of Mimi Parker.

An illustration shows seven people sitting around a colorful table while knitting, with a clothesline of mittens, socks and shirts in the background.

Shout out to the sweater curse

By Sam Harrington ● Culture ● November 4, 2022 November 4, 2022

Celebrating one year of knitting at Fiddlesticks.