Those familiar with nonfiction audio documentary maker Jess Shane, may know her as the producer of BBC 4 Lights Out: Accounts and Accountability which explored the ethics and monetary value of storytelling, so this is nothing new to Jess. In the five part series Radiotopia presents Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative, she takes it further

In its first episode Jess recalls making ‘Perfect Woman’ for CBC’s Love Me. Perfect Woman is the story of her reading her ex-boyfriend’s diary and changing herself depending on what he wrote. At the time, Jess found making it therapeutic because she got to tell the story to her own accord. Things started to get complex when she received an email from a Hollywood producer about adapting the story for a documentary.The producer promised this big platform to tell her story, even though she would have no editorial control. This interaction made Jess doubt the benefits of documentary making.

I sat down with Jess to discuss the process of making the show and what the aims for the series were.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity

JESS: My series is particularly engaged with the relationship between neoliberalism and personal storytelling because the documentary industry relies on the packaged morsel of the individual story in order to mass produce products. And it works because culturally we’ve been told that telling your story will be somehow cathartic, redemptive, brave, useful, et cetera. And so lots of people are talking about the importance of telling your story on an emotional level, but I’m trying to look at how personal storytelling operates in the world of trade and austerity.

You let us into your inner monologue and the many frustrations producers face. What was the aim of highlighting these issues?

JESS: Audiences are used to being handed the story on a silver platter. I wanted people to become hyper aware of the work and the choices that go into preparing said silver platter. A lot of people who’ve listened to the series have said, “can you stop navel gazing and telling us about the process and just give us the story? But this is the point I wanted to make you look behind the curtain whether you wanted to see it or not. And so I think that even if it creates discomfort, making audiences grapple with the fact that what they’re listening to is a construction, [that] is a useful way to make listeners feel less like audiences and more engaged, more like they are actually part of the mechanics of the sale and consumption of stories.

During their audition process to make one possible participant more comfortable, you say that they can ask you questions. What’s your advice to make sure the questions do not get too personal and make sure we divert back to the interviewee?

JESS: Well, I think that it’s okay for people to have personal questions. I think that to pretend that a purely business or a purely professional relationship is happening is dishonest. Obviously in this series I play with boundaries and push boundaries in a way that I think is irresponsible and that’s not an accident. I think depending on the relationship, there’s no one-size-fits-all. So I think, be open with people, but also be thoughtful about how much you want to share.

I think that in many ways the least you can do is to give people part of the benefit of being interviewed, which is arguably if the story isn’t going to lead to meaningful policy change or change that person’s life – which a majority of stories don’t do. Those are the outliers, not the norm – at the very least, you can give them a meaningful experience of recording.

But with that in mind, I think it’s important for people to be clear: I am doing a job. We’re acting like friends, but for the purpose of this interview, I’m doing a job and we’re not friends, and my job is to take what you say now and to turn it into something shorter, more concise. That’s ultimately what I want this piece to be about. I feel like being clear about making a distinction between the joys of the interview process and the horrors of having yourself vulnerable – your voice out in the world and no longer belonging to you in the same way, to coin a phrase by the TV producer featured in the episode.

That openness is evident through your relationship with one of the interviewees, Judy, an unhoused widow in her 70’s . We experience a blossoming friendship that has its conflicting moments, especially when Judy actually needs help regarding her personal situation. What did you learn from blurring the lines?

JESS: I was like, “I can’t promise that whatever I make about you is going to help you with your problems, but I have skills that might be helpful”. And there was a moment deep in the process where I realised that the methodology I thought would be helpful, actually it wasn’t, but could be harmful to her.

I also learned that in my attempt to help, I was not actually being a very good listener. I was thinking about what I thought was best for her as opposed to listening to what she thought was best for her. And that’s not even a lesson about journalism, that’s a lesson about life that can be applied across many spectrums. There was a moment where I just was like, “I don’t know what I’m doing here”. By totally throwing these boundaries that journalists normally have out the window, it was unknown waters and it was evident because I wasn’t necessarily being the most mindful. I don’t think I made anything worse, but I don’t know. I don’t think I improved anything and I realised I was out of my depth.

Away from the role of documentary maker, are there things that you learned personally about yourself?

JESS: I used to think that finding the perfect subject with a life story that was already shocking, heartbreaking, or transformative in some way was the kind of story that I had the power to make beautiful for them and for the world. I really am not interested in telling personal life stories. I’m not interested in turning people’s lives into products anymore and haven’t been for a long time. I’m interested in finding places where there are shared goals with potential subjects.

In the show there is a focus on the consequences of the Top Down approach where the audience gets to understand the power that the decision makers have and how little the subjects have. Going forward, what approach are you taking?

JESS: I’m interested in a framework of collaboration that is not “Top Down”. So in the series, I kind of show what not to do with collaboration. You can’t just call something collaboration and also still call all the shots. I think that I’m much more mindful of who I select as my collaborators and make sure that there’s a shared stake in these shared goals. And then we come up with a framework for collaboration together at the start.

That often relies on having a similar sense of media literacy. So [in Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative] there were huge power dynamics and that was intentional. Normally, I’m not trying to work with people where there are such big power dynamics. Maybe that will change over time as I become more experienced. But for now, I would rather work with people where I feel like we are operating with the same knowledge and in some ways privilege and power.

When talking about power dynamics and privilege I think about Ernesto’s story, the 20 year old model and recovering addict. In his episode, you admit that somebody else may have told his story better. What advice do you have for producers that struggle to navigate an interviewee’s story?

JESS: I was trying to make a point about how budgetary concerns and timelines dictate how ambitious a producer can be in the stories they tell. And in this case, what I realised about Ernesto’s story was that the story that he was sort of gesturing to, he wasn’t an appropriate central, sole subject. The story, actually, would need a much more systemic perspective, and that would require a timeline and a reporting budget and a scope that the project wasn’t really set up for.
I wanted to reveal why the personal story is often the fallback: because it’s actually cheaper and easier to make. But I do think that it’s always really important to acknowledge your positionality and ask – why am I the right person to tell this story? And if not, how can I make this work?

Something that I say in this series, and something I still stand by is if you are taking a not-Top-Down approach to collaboration, it doesn’t necessarily matter if you are the wrong person to tell the story. So long as you set yourself up in a collaborative framework where you are not being the expert on someone else’s life, you are letting your subjects truly lead. And that means factoring in a lot more time, making sure that you set up the collaborative process from the start, making sure that you are, and whoever’s funding you or distributing you, is also signed up for that. At the same time, I think it’s worthwhile to be wary that not everybody should tell every story.

There are rules stated in the first episode about journalism must nots and throughout the process you obviously bend them to make a point. I know this was an experiment, but are there any practices you’re taking for future projects?

JESS: Shared goals, much greater transparency, acknowledgement of the way in which documentary storytelling does operate as an exchange and clarifying the exchange, but in tandem with this idea of shared goals, and I also pay people whenever I can.

[NOTE: Paying subjects is one of the first rules that Jess throws out the window in the series, a subject she’s also written about. She expands on why this is important.]

JESS: I don’t think that paying people is more coercive than somebody promising to tell your story to the media already. I have no problem with splitting whatever I make with the people whose voices and work is featured in the projects. I come up with a split that feels right for the project based on the time and effort that’s put in and based on what I can afford and what we both can afford. I am very transparent about what I’m making with them, and we come up with a rate that feels good.

Listen to Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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The Podcast Show 2023 took place at The Business Design Centre, London from the 24th to 25th of May. This was my first Podcast Show and I managed to attend the last day coming down from the Midlands. When you walk into the venue, you’re greeted with a massive purple wall with the names, locations and time of panels and talks. Even though there was a handy app to help you plan your day, this wall did help as I have to admit I did feel overwhelmed with the choices, almost cautious that if you blinked you missed everything.

Nevertheless the app and wall were both a great opportunity to feed your curiosity, as well as filter out and focus on your aims. In between talks I visited some stalls and had some really insightful conversations with independent companies about their goals for the audio industry – each sharing their unique perspective for content. I loved hearing about Whistledown Productions and their process of making a documentary and making my way to Curly Media to discuss their reality TV approach to podcast production. Lastly, I finally met the Pod Bible team in person and attended their “Creating A Community” panel led by Francesca Turauskis. This panel highlighted the importance of collaboration and listening to your audience – Tom Dark (Monkey Tennis – The Alan Partridge Podcast) mentioned getting a Whatsapp number so the audience could send in voicenotes as an example of this.

The “Interviewing The Interviewer” panel on The Rise Up Stage was actually the first talk attended. Hosted by Sali Huges from the Guardian and the panel were Oloni (Laid Bare), Chian Reynolds (from YouTube podcast Grilling) and Char Ellesse (Founder & Director of Girls Will Be Boys). The main aim was to have a conversation regarding the interviewing process – all the way from the research, to the interview and post production. Members of the panel were adamant to point out their platforms were about championing marginalised voices – Char said on her podcast Say It With Your Chest her main concern is not necessarily about the biggest names, “It’s less about profile and more about who’s got something to say.” Oloni agrees that the profile of a guest is not important on Laid Bare. “What I truly wanted was someone who has a story to tell, I don’t care about visibility.”

These approaches can truly be admired considering the current state of the audio industry. Though at surface level it is truly a joy to see numerous independent companies push to welcome something different. And there is a plethora of freelancers connecting and showing a genuine curiosity regarding audio. However we cannot ignore the evidence showing how the diverse output is not matching the numbers.

Takudzwa Mudiwa – the writer – at the Podcast Show

At a session called “UKAN State of the Audio Industry 2023 – Time to give up on DE&I”, Content is Queen Founder Imriel Morgan launched an Open Letter calling on the audio industry to “Say Less Do More” before Head of UKAN (UK Audio Network), Laura Blake, announced findings of the UKAN State Of The Audio Industry Survey 2023, which included the average salaries of people working in audio. The conclusion was “If you are not white and not a man, you are earning less than you were in 2020.”

This is an even more disappointing finding if you note the promises that numerous companies made during the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd – to put diversity at the forefront of their decision making. As Content is Queen is no longer able to do the International Women’s Podcast Festival due to a lack of funding and support – you have to ask yourself where is the action? The Podcast Show showed the range of women hosting, producing and editing, so the issue is not a lack of talent. So as we reflect on these exciting two days and celebrate the moving and shaking of the podcast industry it will be redundant to not acknowledge its shortcomings – to echo Content Is Queen “Let’s value these voices for what they indeed are – not just diverse but essential contributors to the richness and growth of our shared audio landscape.”

Were you at The Podcast Show 2023? What did you enjoy? What would you like to see more of? Let us know in the comments!

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As Season 2 is in full swing, I asked the two hosts some questions about their move to podcasting and the community they’ve built.

There is a genuine appreciation and respect for podcasting, I even remember in one episode Candice breaking down the process of getting sponsors. What’s one thing that’s surprised you about the podcasting process?

Multiple things, I think the first is how exhausting recording can be. We typically record for three hours and between the giggles and more often than not the tears, I’m ready for bed immediately afterwards.

Having been in the media space for so long I can say that this desire to now have visuals along with audio is a little grating. The reality is everything has a cost attached as we now expect great quality.

Also as a new pod we decided we wanted all our stats in one place because we knew we would need sponsorship to keep this going for how long our Closet Cousins would want to hear from us. But I can’t say that we haven’t felt the pressure to rush the process – we have.

The success of Closet Confessions was a shock all round and now it feels as though people want us to compete with podcasts that have been going for years. We simply aren’t ready yet. Slow and steady wins the race.

On more than one occasion you’ve been adamant to specifically address black women when giving out advice. Was this a choice you both made or are you just telling your lived experiences?

Funnily enough it was never an actual conversation. The reality is we are black women with very public profiles. The way in which we are treated or the standard we are held to is completely different to our white counterparts so it just feels natural for us to say that we are about to address something that is specifically for us. Whilst this is just our lived experiences we know how hard it is for women who look like us to feel like they are part of a sisterhood or community, so that’s why we are so adamant.

As we know you don’t know each other’s confessions until you sit down to record, what is the one that’s shocked you the most?

No comment! The most shocking ones have been sealed for all eternity!

Both of you have built an audience prior to this show, how important was that to building the community you’ve now?

Candice: I think super important. Stand alone our audience know what to expect from us and we’ve both worked hard for years to build communities that support our work and how authentic we are. I’m not saying it’s impossible but I know for sure it would be so much harder to build a podcast community without having worked at building an audience outside of the space beforehand.

Sarel: It was very important to build our audience prior to having Closet Confessions. The reason for that is that both myself and Candice are opinionated women who are unapologetically themselves and had created a community separate from one another of people who understood us, but had only seen us with short-form content. So by the time Closet Confessions started, our audiences were aware of how we speak, aware of the way we joke, aware of the way we think but had only ever been given advice via videos that were only 1-3 minutes long, sometimes maybe a bit longer.

But with Closet Confessions this is a new side to us where we now get to unpack a lot of things just by having a conversation and that’s why the community has come so strong because when you come into the Closet, not only are we there to have a cackle and a Kiki, we’re there to learn and challenge one another. We’re there to uplift, we’re there to edify and sometimes the conversations can be uncomfortable, sometimes they can be funny, sometimes the conversations can be raw. But at least we have a space and a place that is judgement free for these conversations to take place. And that’s why I think our community with Closet Confessions has become such a powerhouse.

What was the first podcast you listened to? Are there any other podcasts you love you think our readers should know about?

Candice: Oh my gosh The Read with Kid Fury and Crislle West – that podcast set my world alight this was way before podcasts were massive. I think they used to be on Soundcloud. It felt like sitting down with friends. Speaking of which, one of my guilty pleasures right now is the HCPod with Cuckie and Poet. Not that I do but it gives smoke weed and chat shit vibes, which is essentially what I look forward to at the end of the week. Also Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph is very educational.

Sarel: I can’t necessarily remember the first podcast I listened to because when I started the world of podcasting and listening to podcasts it was still very foreign to me but I can remember podcasts that have kept me listening. I’m obsessed with the Hey Babe! podcast with Sal Vulcano & Chris Distefano. I’m obsessed with Cancelled with Clare & Jessie Stephens and I am obsessed with ShxtsNGigs with James & Fuhad. The one common factor with all of these podcasts is that they make me laugh and make me think. But I have to say absolutely second the fact that I love Chante Joseph’s Podcast with The Guardian; the right balance of education and funny.

Listen to Closet Confessions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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In Hauser & Wirth London, Axel Kacoutié and Lou Mensah sit in front of a Amy Sherald painting titled “For love, and for country” (2022). The piece is part of an exhibition called The World We Make and it’s Amy’s first solo show in Europe. The piece is also the subject of ‘Interludes: Dream Recurred’, the fourth episode in the new season of the Shade Podcast, which this live podcast experience is launching.

Interludes is a collaboration between multi award-winning sound artist Axel Kacoutié and Shade, where six contemporary artists answer the question: What does healing sound like?

Lou Mensh and Axel Kacoutie. Photo credit: Kid Circus

In previous seasons of the Shade Podcast, host Lou would hold interviews between artists and herself regarding how art has moved through their life. It would result in conversations about what art means personally, but also beyond one person. A particularly harrowing season of Shade was after the Black Lives Matter protests of summer 2020 – season four reflected on how the media responded to the uprising.

Speaking to Lou before the show, she told me that though those conversations were timely, she felt that after this response the audience needed a place where they could find some sort of solace. “I just thought next season I want it to be a gift to the audience and for people who are listening, something that can hold them, comfort them and acknowledge the need for everyone just to take a step back – to take some respite and some selfcare. I just wanted to create a small space through this series with Axel that would help people do that.”

This is evident through Axel’s sonic response. At the launch, they play us a snippet of the episode ‘Dream Recurred’ – Amy discusses the piece “For love, and for country”. Her images depict Black Americans in ordinary everyday situations and also reimagines them in historical moments: This piece in particular was a recreation of the photograph VJ Day in Times Square (1945). She fondly mentions friends she cares deeply about and wanting them to be represented, and it is followed by Axel using audio of Amy simply repeating the words “love is love” – the words linger in the air and the audience take them in. After sitting in comfortable silence for some seconds, Axel explains why the use of repetition not only emphasises the statement but reminds us how grounding the listening experience can be.

Credit : Amy Sherald ‘For love, and for country.’ 2022

“I feel like there’s a lot that the body and ear can do and need and I wanted to speak to that intuitive response,” they continue, “to follow how sound and music works to encourage and evoke a stillness,” a stillness that is often difficult to find in podcasting.

Lou talked briefly about how as the Producer she broke the housekeeping rules of podcasting – there is no traditional intro and outro, no break for ads and sponsors. Lou wanted all of that removed, “I wanted it to be an audio but also a physical and an emotional space to rest. For people to just relax. In audio there’s a lot of talk, a lot of chat, there’s a lot of fast energy. There’s a lot of slick audio making but I feel like it misses that capacity to hold people emotionally. I just felt like it was something I would try and do.” I felt like this approach of break in structure from Lou and these moments of quietness and minimalism for Axel worked well together – healing itself is such a nuanced and deeply personal topic; it is never linear therefore giving the listener a moment of reflection and breaking tradition feels just.

For those who have been listening to Shade for a while, you may remember the first glimpse of collaboration between Axel and Lou was the final episode of the 2021 four-part series of conversations exploring anti-racism in the arts, co-curated by Shade and Convergence. They’ve wanted to work together since, both confirming that it had been a year long process to get Interludes made. However, to add a timeline to projects like these is reductive. In some of the Interludes episodes, the sounds Axel used draw inspiration from projects that were made ten years ago, “It’s all part of the healing process that being able to give life to things that you thought would never see the light of day,” Lou adds, “I’ve been working in the arts for nearly 30 years so there is no way that all the things I’ve experienced and been a part of, have not been a part of this series because they have, so it’s a lifelong process of memories and inspirations.”

This project was as much for the creators as it is for the listener.

Listen to Interludes on The Shade Podcast now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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In Have You Heard George’s Podcast?, spoken word artist George The Poet joins producer and composer Benbrick to create this narrative-style podcast where the narrator, George, delves into different themes and topics. Starting as an indy production in 2018, its huge success at the 2019 British Podcast Awards brought it to the attention of the BBC, who took it on for the second series, or ‘chapter’.  So far George and the team have released three chapters in total, and I will be choosing my favourite episode from each.

Chapter One: Episode 3 – A Grenfell Story

A Grenfell Story was released 2nd September 2019 almost two years after the Grenfell Tower fire, which occurred 14th June 2017. Here, George narrates the story of a teacher in the background of the disaster.

With George’s research, the script is full of knowledge as he tackles the issues that occur in inner city London through this teacher – she faces rejection throughout as her colleagues call her methods a nuisance, even though she is trying to get through students who are used to hustle culture. The relationship between her daughter’s father lacks stability and her relationship with George’s character seems to lack substance as he doesn’t even know which floor she lives on – this is repeated and holds significance.

The feeling of neglect that the teacher experiences mirrors what the residents of Grenfell went through – before the fire the residents expressed concern regarding the safety of the building including lighting issues and even calling the building a firetrap in 2014. As the inevitable happens and the fire occurs, what I appreciate is the humanity that George brought towards this story – it is a reminder that these were real people not just numbers.

Chapter Two: Episode 18 – Concurrent Affairs

In May 2019 George The Poet turned down an MBE, and in this chapter two finale he explains why.

George personifies the countries of Uganda and Great Britain. With the character of Uganda, although a complicated relationship both she and George want peace. When talking to Great Britain, George exclaims how appreciative he is to the BBC. Great Britain asks “tell me more about me as a country” and this is when there is a slight pause – Benbrick has been experimental with sound, pushing and manipulating what we can do with it particularly with episodes where George spirals into his mind – however here it’s quite simple.

MBE stands for “member of the British Empire” and this title does not sit right with George. He shares in detail what damage Great Britain had on Africa and its children, including gaps in information, and that this is the reason why he must fight for his identity. If you have been listening to this podcast George’s decision to reject the MBE makes sense – George has dissected his identity through each episode and tried to understand parts of himself through music and other themes. He has tried to explain his upbringing in Great Britain – though at times full of nostalgia and joy – George is transparent and doesn’t shy away from calling out its institutional and systemic faults. George makes it very clear: “Yeah Brexit is tough. Me and your pain are not the same. I’m not a member of the British Empire. I’m George Mpanga and my name is my name.”

Chapter Three: Episode 25 – Who Hurt R&B?

In Chapter 3, George and his team have developed Common Ground – a website where after you listen to an episode George asks questions relating to it, so the conversation continues. After you answer the questions, you get taken to the ‘commons’ where you get to read and listen to other people’s perspectives through voice recordings, mini essays or images.

In this episode he explores how much R&B has changed and dissects how African Americans have had a history of conveying pain and frustration through music, tracking the narrative back all the way to the 70’s. He talks about several reasons for changes. Towards the end of the 20th Century feminism affected music and divorce was on the rise among African Americans. We hear the power anthem “It’s not right but it’s okay” by Whitney Houston, and George notes it wasn’t just feminism that played a part in the number of divorces but poverty. Throughout the episode there’s examples of how surroundings shaped these men and women and the music that they created as George explains “rap music portrayed women being put down but RnB portrayed women putting their foot down.”

I shared on Common Ground that what this episode and George’s whole podcast has taught me to do is go beyond the surface – it has also caused me to think about what I grew up with and how that has shaped my identity.

Listen to Have You Heard George’s Podcast on BBC Sounds and all other apps.

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Ian is a wonderful host. If you have listened to some of his own interviews (especially his appearance on Desert Island Discs) it is evident that he himself is a great storyteller, and this comes across in his interview style. He is not rigid and when he wants to find out more, it is done in an inquisitive nature. He sounds like a friend who really cares when you are catching up – not like a reporter wanting the next headline.

This approach creates the perfect environment for trust, which always results in an honest interview. In episode one, simply titled ‘Chris’, Ian sits down with Chris Brannigan, who talks about walking the length of Britain barefoot, to raise money for treatment of his daughter’s CDLS diagnosis, a rare genetic disease. When Chris mentions walking to Downing Street in so much pain, Ian goes back and encourages him to go into detail. This is a nice and subtle touch really reflecting how much Ian cares that Chris’ story is fully told.

Ian also shares his own personal stories to connect to the interviewee’s story – from vulnerable moments from his difficult childhood to his failures and triumphs throughout his football career. This is a great reminder that despite our different paths – whether you are a poet, musician, academic or athlete – we are all connected because we have been through difficult moments and somehow have come out of the other end.

I also noticed that the beautiful sound and mixing allows the guest’s story to be fully indulged by the listener through carefully selected pauses, which heighten the emotional parts. An example of when this is done well is episode two  ‘Mel’. Mel is a mother who takes us through the night when she found out her son had been assaulted.  Many times these stories are told through the headline of the assault but here, we hear about how 25 year old Jordan Sinnot loved football, had the biggest smile in the room and how he sang ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ to his partner.

There are plenty more episodes like this that remind us that there is a person behind the tragedy, like Munira, mother of two, who lost her home in the Grenfell Tower fire and had to start again. With moving from one temporary accommodation to another Munira was determined to hold on to her love of cooking and as a result curated a space where the community can come together to enjoy food and/or just have a chat.

Ian Wright’s Everyday People has a simple format of people sharing how they got through their most difficult moments. Where the beauty lies is that these stories of resilience are always needed and can help us reflect on our own trials and tribulations. Bring on season 2.

Listen to Ian Wright’s Everyday People on ACAST, SPOTIFY or your favourite podcast app.

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QCODE is a Los Angeles based audio production studio who develop innovative and immersive scripted narrative stories. Normally what would occur in the Point of Entry series is episode recommendations, however QCODE now have 13 different shows. Instead, I will recommend some of my favourite shows, as I feel if I recommend individual episodes, I will be giving away spoilers.

For people who enjoy watching television but don’t always have the time to sit down, narrative fiction podcasts are great – you can listen to the drama unfold on the go. If you are already an avid podcast listener who enjoys an interview style show, you may enjoy scripted audio because there is still an interesting back and forth, chemistry between people and great audio design – it is just at a bigger scale because the visual aspect is taken away.

BLACKOUT

The first QCODE fiction podcast release was a drama starring and executive produced by Academy Award winning Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody). BLACKOUT tells the story of a local radio DJ named Simon Itani who is based in small town Berlin, New Hampshire. One of those small towns where everyone is in your business and something shady is going on. One night a blackout occurs and Simon gets fatally shot, whilst his son Hunter Itani’s (T.C Carter) camping trip with his friends takes a disastrous turn. The whole town is turned upside down – food, medicine and essentials are in low supply.

In the midst of this Simon is determined to keep the community spirit alive with his show and continues to play selected rock tunes with his signature “Look out for each other” thrown in for good measure. A fascinating thriller where the listener is moved through the Berlin woods into the back garden of the Itanis through a random field with a crazed neighbour with a shotgun. This can only be done by a meticulous sound department team – where every detail is thought of, the eerie music is just as important as the cereal during breakfast. Along with most podcast recommendations, this is best listened to with earphones. However if you want to avoid jump scares in public, I recommend it on a loud volume at home.

With all this being said, with what has happened in the past year, perhaps indulging in an apocalyptic thriller about modern civilization falling apart, may not be the best choice for a form of escapism. The characters explore themes like control, authoritarianism, freedom of speech and justice.

With a second season of BLACKOUT featuring How To Get Away With Murder star Aja Naomi King just announced, if you choose, now it the perfect time to catch up with the first season.

Soft Voice

The second series I would recommend is Soft Voice – a psychological drama that delves into the dangers of the mind. Soft Voice (Bel Powley) is a voice inside Lydia’s head (Naomi Scott). Soft Voice is a blunt and no-nonsense entity that values perfectionism – it controls every aspect of her life down to Lydia’s diet and love life – Lydia doesn’t know any different so she goes along with it as it comes with a peace of mind and much success. It is not until one day Soft Voice stops talking and Dark Voice enters (Olivia Cooke) and Lydia’s life takes a turn in the most dramatic manner.

What it does well in the same way the TV show Black Mirror does – is it makes you question ‘what would I do if I were in that situation?’ and then it makes you sit and wonder maybe I am closer to being in that situation then I would like to admit. Think the ‘Nosedive’ or ‘White Bear’ episodes – it may seem dramatic, however if you get to the heart of what issues are being explored and take away the hyperbole – they hit closer to home.

Listening to Lydia navigate her inner thoughts is unnerving and unpredictable. She faces the same insecurities that many others do, acted brilliantly by Naomi Scott, you can hear her cleverly switch from moments of panic, uncertainty and relief – perfectly depicting the trials of the mind.

Unwanted

After you indulge in two intense podcasts you can have a go at an action-comedy. Unwanted is about two 30-year-old best friends Ben (Lamorne Morris) and Grant (Billy Magnussen). They are strapped for cash and unwilling to get a job. One day while driving they accidentally hit a woman who bizarrely just walks it off. It is not until later they find out the woman was a hard as nails runaway convict, named Shelley O’ Keith (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell) worth a million pounds if found.

After much deliberation both Ben and Grant go on a mission to get that prize money. With a fun back and forth between the two main characters as they have their hand at the bounty hunter/good cop bad cop persona, this podcast series packs plenty of laughs. We are treated to our favourite movie clichés like a good old catchphrase, they opted for “LET’S DANCE!” and the evergreen “we’ll ask the questions here!” followed by silence and fumbling to develop an actual helpful question but a random debate over buying and renting whilst someone is tied up in the basement (a few episodes in and this will make sense).

Shelley is frightening and shows no mercy to anyone who crosses her path. Her no nonsense attitude is balanced well by a hilarious ex-convict named Darko (Flula Borg), an old friend who owes Shelley a massive favour after his betrayal led to her six years in jail. He runs an electronics store and seems to be more interested in leading a quiet life with the occasional trip to TGI Fridays.

With a catchy 80’s synthwave-style theme song sung by the legendary Rick Astley, and the constant mention of Arnold Schwarzenegger, for those who want their movie clichés with a fun script, this is a great introduction into scripted audio because it is still familiar but with a few twists and turns.

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