The month of July was a surreal one. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the giant inflatable Trump baby flying a few miles from our office, maybe it was England doing so well in the World Cup that we couldn’t even hate each individual member of the team.

On a bowling green in Walthamstow Village, Gazelle Twin got involved in the surrealism too, dressed as her new, twisted jester character (some kids thought she was Spider-Man) and hopped about like a sprite poisoned by all the menace of an intolerant Britain. It’s what her new album is all about after all – she spoke to Ben Hewitt about the inner, dark workings of ‘Pastoral’ (out in September) as the pair of them walked around the National Portrait Gallery, not dressed as jesters.

Thanks to club secretary Bob for letting us use the bowling green, by the way.

Also in this issue:

We’ve been wanting to feature Black Midi for a months and finally have. To the best of our knowledge it’s the south London band’s first interview. We’ve got pieces with neo-classical pianist and Oneohtrix Point Never collaborator Kelly Moran, Montreal-based artist Debby Friday who describes her punk rap as “thunder”, American sculptor/musician Lonnie Holley sharing some of his lifetime of wisdom, Brighton’s noise band Ditz and folktronica trio Haiku Salut who are reconnecting community with a houseful of robots in Derbyshire.

Damian Abraham from Fucked Up had us over to his place in Toronto so we could watch him lick a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. And Daniel Dylan Wray explores how our favourite contemporary artists started and continue to soundtrack some of the best movies out there.

Our Sweet 16 column is Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders – he spent that teenage year spending his savings on a drum kit and sticking it in Alex Turner’s garage. Album, live, book and film reviews etc. etc. And Clive la Bouche’s Party Wolf column – the most trusted voice in music.

Lovingly put together and in stores this weekend. Order a copy for home delivery now.