Monocle on Culture
Robert Bound and guests explore what’s new in art, film, books, and media. Expect lively discussions, in-depth interviews, and expert insights.
Latest Episodes
Summer blockbusters: How did they fare?
As summer comes to an end, we look back at the season’s biggest blockbusters. Robert Bound is joined in the studio by Alex Ritman of ‘The Hollywood Reporter’ to discuss how the films fared at the box office and what this means for the future of cinema. Plus: BFI Imax…
Colson Whitehead
Over the years, the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, Colson Whitehead, has turned his hand to non-fiction, zombie thrillers and historical fiction. His new book, ‘Crook Manifesto’, is the second in his Harlem Trilogy, which is set on the chaotic streets of 1970s New York. Robert Bound sits down with the…
John Carroll Kirby and Sylvan Esso
While John Carroll Kirby is celebrated for the catalogue of stars with whom he has played or collaborated (a list including Solange, Frank Ocean and Harry Styles), he is also renowned for his solo work. We catch up with the Grammy-nominated pianist and producer to discuss his most recent album, ‘Blowout’.…
‘Talk to Me’
Critics Christina Newland and Karen Krizanovich join Robert Bound to review new Australian horror film ‘Talk to Me’.
Summer sounds
Robert Bound is joined in the studio by Natty Kasambala and Kate Hutchinson to discuss the songs that encapsulate the sound of summer 2023, which of this year’s festivals guarantee a good time and the best upcoming album releases.
Christopher Nolan
Acclaimed writer-director Christopher Nolan is known for his spectacular and layered storytelling and preference for analogue cinematic methods. Robert Bound sits down with the filmmaker to discuss his new film ‘Oppenheimer’, which tells the story of the man widely regarded as the “father of the atomic bomb”. Plus: Monocle on Culture regular,…
How to design an album cover
This week we ask: how do you design an album cover? We meet Anton Corbijn, the photographer and director of ‘Squaring the Circle’, a new documentary that tells the story of legendary design studio Hipgnosis. We also hear from photographer Markus Klinko, who is responsible for a defining album cover…
Ryuichi Sakamoto in mixed reality
We meet Todd Eckert, the director behind an extraordinary new mixed-reality performance that brings to life the music of the late Ryuichi Sakamoto. Plus: Robert Bound is joined in the studio by Roddy Maude-Roxby, a nonagenarian artist who has been a stone’s throw away from many of the artistic movements,…
Max Richter
We head to the Oxfordshire countryside to visit Studio Richter Mahr, a state-of-the-art studio and production facility built by British-German composer Max Richter and his partner, artist Yulia Mahr. Robert Bound sits down with Richter to discuss his recent Glastonbury performance, the creation of his album ‘Sleep’ and his hopes for the studio.
Viva la diva!
We visit a new exhibition at London’s V&A dedicated to all things diva. Curator Kate Bailey joins Robert Bound to discuss how the show celebrates the power and creativity of iconic performers across the ages, while fashion designer Bob Mackie tells us how he created such a wealth of iconic looks.…
