Between Pirated Tapes and Fish Factories

Hi everyone!

Music has always been a huge part of my life. It was back in 2008, in my hometown of Tashkent in Uzbekistan, that I discovered The Cure, The Smiths, and Radiohead—that’s when my interest in alternative music really took off.

I grew up in an era of pirated cassette tapes (there were no other options), friends burning CDs for each other, and dial-up internet that resulted in some truly eye-watering phone bills. I listened to music through my laptop speakers, and I couldn’t have been happier.

Shoegaze came into my life much later, and I realized it was the kind of music that felt like home to me—my foundation. A wall of sound is my happy place. But I won’t only write about shoegaze because I listen to all kinds of music, even the stuff I don’t like. However, I only write about what truly moves me. That could be anything: experimental Arabic music, feminist punk, Chilean post-rock, African jazz, Billie Eilish, a conceptual album recorded in a fish factory—or even Chinese shoegaze.

The kind of space I want to create

I’m not looking to be a formal critic or a music journalist who just follows the hype. I want this to be a place for people who still get that “weak at the knees” feeling when they hear a great track.

I’m hoping to build a community of curious listeners—people who don’t care where a band is from or what genre they’re “supposed” to be, as long as the music has soul. Whether it’s a video from a live show that helped me stay sane that week or a deep dive into a niche scene from a corner of the world people usually overlook, I want this to be a conversation.

My name is Kamola, and I’m just here to share the sounds that make life better. I’m always open to talking about music, so feel free to reach out or leave a comment anytime.