Phonogram, Grimoires, and a whole lotta tunes
When we were introduced to Phonogram we had only a small knowledge of Brit-Pop, and were totally overwhelmed by the number of references that existed throughout the comic series. To give as concise an overview as possible, imagine subcultures of music fans that wield magic derived from genres of music. The initial arc that we follow is that of a Phonomancer named David Kohl as he searches for the remains of the seemingly deceased Britannia, Mod-Goddess of Britpop, before a revivalist cult of Phonomancers transform her power through obsession and nostalgia.
In an effort to bring us up to speed to read, our partner made us a playlist of all of the songs that they could find within each panel. The experience of reading, listening in between time apart, and finding our way back into the groove of the pages once more felt like a deeply engrossing way to take in the first six issues.
Then came the next six issues to totally blow us away:
In a similar way to the first arc, we were very lucky to have another playlist highlighting each character’s musical inspirations and conversational references. This is because most of the interactions between characters in the Singles Club issues takes place in a club filled with Phonomancers and a DJ attempting to appease some of the most opinionated and vocal of listeners.
Each Phonomancer’s night out, whether it’s a blurred manic bliss or a horrifying slow-motion train wreck, has an arc of reflection and at times transformation. One Phonomancer in particular, Lloyd, is forced to confront his identity in music when confronted by others at the club. Through a newfound awareness of Los Campesinos! he creates a fan zine imbued with his own magic and appreciation for the band.
It was around this point in the comic that the idea struck us that we could make a similar tesselation of music which inspires or moves us, a sort of seeing our own identities through the sounds that resonate with each of us. What followed was the making of many different playlists which we referred to as grimoires, a small nod to the magic of Phonogram and as a means to hear our way to a deeper understanding of themes and life experience.