Discussion: Bubbles of Creation

The musicians Piotr Kurek, Coby Sey and FOQL all have new albums and projects, a process that involves placing oneself in a creative bubble of sorts to conceive of and develop ideas. Is this isolation liberating, frightening, or both, and how does one know when – or if – to bring in collaborating musicians to help realise a vision? Whilst deep in creation, is it necessary to keep up with the latest trends and sounds, or better to ignore them completely? All this and more is discussed with Philip Sherburne, contributing editor to Pitchfork.