Best Cinematic Label Podcasts (2024)

1
A Brief History of Absolutely Everything 58:35

1h ago58:35

58:35

Are we on the brink of a return to Medieval wonder? A collapse into total warfare? Both? Bear with me while I present my Unified Field Theory of Human History in thirty minutes or less, by way of introduction to the mind-blowing essay "Christendom or Europe," by Novalis. He's the most important figure you've never heard of in Western literature, an…

1
Words Words Words 13: Viking Visibility Week 34:42

1h ago34:42

34:42

This week we're going still further back in time, and further north, to read some Middle English from the tale of Gawain and the Green Knight. It's a galloping adventure that's been translated by some of the greats--including J.R.R. Tolkien--and reading the original is a good chance to practice dipping your toe into the more obscure forms of Englis…

1
Why Read? iPads, Culture Wars, and the Point of the Canon 59:31

3d ago59:31

59:31

So you want to defend the Western canon, huh? Why, exactly? In this episode I take a step back and ask why, outside of politics, we should care about books. Especially in the age of podcasts and digital media, with the publishing industry bleeding profits, it's easy to think of books as obsolete. But that might be exactly why we need them most--to …

1
Sequences Podcast No 251 2:58:53

1h ago2:58:53

2:58:53

As they say, better late than never. We are really busy with other non-related music works and are shortly getting ready to sell our property in Australia and business here before returning to the UK permanently.Just five bands and musicians are making their debut on Sequences. We hear about the new project by ex-Tangerine Dream member Johannes Sch…

1
Words, Words, Words 12: English is a Foreign Language 41:25

2h ago41:25

41:25

Have you ever thought about how weird it is that our oldest English literature is somehow...in another language? If you want to become a better communicator, understand your own history better, and just generally have an awesome time reading cool stories about knights and stuff, you could do no better than to read the great chivalric tales of the E…

1
Doin' It Live: How to Read a Poem for the First Time 1:04:02

11d ago1:04:02

1:04:02

If you've never read a great work of literature before...where do you start? This week, in response to a listener request, I'm taking a poem I had never read before and walking through my process of getting to know it with you step by step. Hopefully, this will help give you some tips and pointers for getting acquainted with new authors and new ide…

1
Words, Words, Words 11: The Translation Cinematic Universe 34:14

3d ago34:14

34:14

When it comes to picking a translation, which brands can you trust? Like streaming services and video game consoles, publishers are always competing for eyeballs, which means no one imprint is going to be able to gather all the best authors and translators under one roof. But here are some good rules of thumb to help you understand the lay of the l…

1
The Abolition of Sex: IVF, Designer Babies, and Goethe's Faust 1:07:33

13d ago1:07:33

1:07:33

Before C.S. Lewis, before George Orwell, there was Goethe: in Faust Part II, the magician's servant Wagner concocts a literal test tube baby--a "homunculus" or "little man" made without any sexual intercourse at all. This picture of humanity cut off from its natural origins is frighteningly familiar, and it leads to a final word on science, magic, …

1
Words, Words, Words 10: The Holy Ghost Story 35:52

22d ago35:52

35:52

Why do we say "Holy Spirit" more often than "Holy Ghost"? It's not just because we're scared of things that go bump in the night. This week I'm taking a listener question about why "Spirit" and "Ghost" seem interchangeable in early modern English translations of the Bible, but not so much anymore. It's about how English has changed, how the Biblica…

1
Nope-ing Out on Humanity 1:12:05

24d ago1:12:05

1:12:05

"We're not a good species": that's the rallying cry of Les Knight, founder of the Voluntary Extinction Movement. But the idea that humanity was a mistake didn't just spring out of nowhere. It was built up gradually over centuries, as a side-effect of the scientific revolution. Goethe's Faust is a brilliant attempt to recover and sanctify the role o…

1
Interview: Jeremy Carl, [Insert Youtube Warning Label Here] 37:59

17d ago37:59

37:59

Is it OK to be white? Claremont Institute Senior Fellow is out with a provocative new book about anti-white discrimination in America, and what's to be done about it. We got into a really interesting discussion about race, culture, and politics--including questions like whether Western culture is "white" and what racial harmony in 21st-century Amer…

1
Say Yes to the Dress: Goethe, Newton, and the Internet's Biggest Fight Ever 1:06:30

24d ago1:06:30

1:06:30

Blue and black? Or yellow and white? For eons, mankind has grappled with this essential question. Wars have been fought. Families have been torn asunder. Brother has turned against brother and father against son. But now, at last, we can resolve this most important of debates with help from none other than--Ludwig Goethe? Turns out the whole affair…

1
Sequences Podcast No 250 3:05:46

22d ago3:05:46

3:05:46

This edition’s lineup brings many of the regular artist’s new albums we’ve supported over many years.With David Wright’s 30th solo release ‘Fade’, his music drifts between waves of gentle ambience and the dynamism of pulsating sequences. Hailing from the mystical isles of New Zealand, long-established Spotted Peccary Music artist Rudy Adrian. Steve…

1
Words, Words, Words 9: Mary Mary, Quite Contrary 25:48

28d ago25:48

25:48

It's not every podcast that comes with a disclaimer, but this one is just spicy enough that it needs a warning on the label. I got a great and fascinating question about how to translate a passage from John's Gospel...and the answer will take me into Mary's status in the church, the meaning of the word "the," and the cosmic significance of each of …

1
Demons In My View: AI, Free Will, and the Quantum Revolution 1:04:04

1M ago1:04:04

1:04:04

Gather round, me hearties, and attend the tale of Pierre-Simon Laplace--a demon-haunted man. This is a story I've been itching to tell for a while, about the birth of quantum physics and the revenge of the Atomic Swerve. It stretches all the way back to Marcus Aurelius and all the way forward to the AI revolution, with some incredible tea to spill …

1
Interview with John Daniel Davidson: Silence, Pagan! 34:13

1M ago34:13

34:13

In his new book, Pagan America, Federalist Senior Editor John Daniel Davidson argues that America is not only becoming, but functionally already is, a pagan society. We talk about what that means, why it's happened, and what can be done about it. It's a fascinating discussion touching on a lot of themes that have really been mainstays of the show t…

1
Yuval Harari's Faustian Bargain 1:04:41

1M ago1:04:41

1:04:41

You've probably seen that meme of the IQ bell curve, where the guy with the lowest IQ and the guy with the highest IQ both agree, while the guy in the middle copes and seethes. Well, this week I am here to tell you that it really do be like that. Chris Marlowe and my Uber driver are in agreement that the soul is real, while Dr. Faustus and professi…

1
Words, Words, Words 8: It's Not Bird 32:18

2M ago32:18

32:18

On this Good Friday, we're doin' it live: translating Aquinas, that is. I talk through some extremely sticky medieval philosophy of language, but it's all worth it because at the end it turns out that existence is bananas and humanity really is made in God's image, which, come on, is good payoff for 30 minutes. A blessed Easter weekend to you; hope…

1
I Ain't Got No Crystal Ball 1:03:21

1M ago1:03:21

1:03:21

The universe just keeps getting weirder and weirder, man. New data from the James Webb Space Telescope might actually be the most important news story that no one's talking about. It invites us to consider whether we're going to freak out, like the Commies, or rejoice in the glory of God, like civilized people. It's possible Christopher Marlowe can…

1
Sequences Podcast No 249 (Extended) 4:01:21

1M ago4:01:21

4:01:21

Welcome to another extended edition. Nine new artists appear on Sequences, reflecting a harmonious range of tones, dark and atmospheric ambient, symphonic melodic and rhythmical for some, others going to the experimentation side. Download Bios No 249: https://we.tl/t-WNxgcl4vQKPlaylist No 24901.53 ELEON ‘Dawn’s Prelude’ (album Hidden Kingdom) https…

1
Words, Words, Words 7: By Any Other Name 36:28

2M ago36:28

36:28

Lying awake one night, I pulled out my Japanese grammar dictionary, as you do. And I suddenly realized some of the stuff in there--i.e., in Japanese, a language the Ancient Greeks had never heard of--could have been taken right out of Plato's Cratylus. What the heck is that about? And what does it have to do with the name of God? Answers to these a…

1
Kate Merlinton, Princess of Wales 1:01:05

2M ago1:01:05

1:01:05

Will the real Merlin please stand up? Every major new development in scientific knowledge comes with a period of upheaval in what it means to do magic--or in what counts as magic, and what counts as science. This week, in providential synchronicity with a listener question, I wanted to talk about two twentieth-century depictions of Merlin in the ag…

1
Interview: Isabel Brown, Gen Z Champion 38:12

2M ago38:12

38:12

Are the kids alright? Before you leap to respond "absolutely not," listen to content creator Isabel Brown argue that in fact there really is honest-to-goodness hope among members of--wait for it--Gen Z. As an ancient Millennial myself, I think this is great news. Isabel lays out the case for why Gen Z might actually be trending conservative cultura…

1
That Magician Ain't Real! 58:48

2M ago58:48

58:48

These days we tell a tidy little story: once there was magic, now there's reason. But there's another, older story that might be closer to the truth: once there was fake magic, now there's real magic. In fact, not only is that the story that many luminaries of the scientific revolution told--it's also a story that extends back before the scientific…

1
Words, Words, Words 6: What's in a Name? 33:33

2M ago33:33

33:33

Oh, we're really in it now. On today's translation segment, I take a question that will lead us into the heart of magic, language, and human nature: what's in a name? Specifically, what's in God's name? Throughout the Bible, not just God but God's name is invoked as a stand-in for God himself. Figuring out why will take us through Greek philosophy,…

1
Sequences Podcast No 248 3:26:22

2M ago3:26:22

3:26:22

This edition welcomes The Soviet Space Dog Project with atmospheric experimentation into a full-flight sequencer fest. René G. Boscio is an LA-based Puerto Rican composer best known for his unique blend of acoustic and Latino instruments with modern experimental electronics—deep ambient music from Poland by Stefan Weglowski. The album ‘Paradoxum’ o…

1
The Ursula-Jafar Theory of Bad Magic 59:14

2M ago59:14

59:14

Are you a good magician, or a bad magician? This week, I start diving into the weird and complicated world of magic, from Disney to the Book of Acts. There's lots to say here, but let's start with what we want to avoid, namely: stealing people's voices and usurping the throne. In a deep cut from back when Disney wasn't awful, I hereby present: the …

1
Words, Words, Words 5: She Thinks I'm a Steed! 27:20

3M ago27:20

27:20

YOU ARE ENTIRELY A STAR CHILD! Maybe you've seen the internet meme where someone--or perhaps some program--translates the lyrics of Smash Mouth's "All Star" into Aramaic and then back into ornate, florid English. For '90s kids who grew up screaming those lyrics, this is hilarious. But it's also kind of revealing about our assumptions when it comes …

1
Neuralink is Magic (And that Might Not be a Good Thing) 1:04:19

2M ago1:04:19

1:04:19

They’re putting chips! In people’s brains! We have to talk about it. But this is Young Heretics—so let’s not talk about it from a panicked, world-is-ending catastrophe mindset, or from a naïve, tech-will-save us progressive mindset. With one eye on tradition and one eye on the future, I want to embark this week on an attempt to seriously argue that…

1
Interview: John A. Burtka on the Art of the Possible 48:50

3M ago48:50

48:50

I'm joined today by Johnny Burtka, whose new Gateway to Statesmanship is a collection of writings on one of our most neglected virtues. Statesmanship is the art of leading in complex and difficult times, especially when all of the options on the table involve painful trade-offs (sound familiar?). Johnny and I discuss the changing conditions of hist…

1
The Feminine Touch Vol 2 3:59:45

2M ago3:59:45

3:59:45

THE FEMININE TOUCH Vol 2. Playlist00.00 Lisa Bella Donna ‘Night Flight’ (album Night Flight) https://lisabelladonna.bandcamp.com09.22 Hannah Peel ‘Ecovocative’ (album Fir Wave) www.hannahpeelmusic.bandcamp.com12.59 Kelly Moran ‘Ultraviolet Helix’ (album Ultraviolet) https://kellymoran.bandcamp.com21.34 The Allegorist ‘Redwinged Phoenix’ (album Blin…

1
Eye Has Not Seen 1:03:20

3M ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Since last we spoke, I have literally traveled around the world--and I can say with certainty there's nowhere I'd rather be than here. This week, a few reflections from my trip to Cambodia about what every culture has to grapple with when it comes to depicting God--and what's unique to the Bible. No one has ever seen God. So how can anyone know him…

1
Words, Words, Words 4: The Holy Spirit Will Live Rent-Free in You 31:15

3M ago31:15

31:15

Why is the Gen Z Bible a joke and not a translation? In this installment of our series on register, I'm doing a close reading (yes, actually) of a passage from the Gen Z Bible. Bear with me, because there's actually a method to my madness, and it speaks to the strengths and weaknesses of another, much more widely used version of the bible--the Mess…

1
Yes and No 58:11

3M ago58:11

58:11

Is it spirit or flesh? Matter or form? Symbol or symbolized? On this episode I want to argue that these questions aren't only religious questions--or rather, they're religious questions that cut right to the heart of reality. They've become newly important as anti-humanists propose to leave our embodied life as human beings behind. Discard the spir…

1
[SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT]: Light of the Mind, Light of the World 5:01

3M ago5:01

5:01

I've got a new book coming out! Light of the Mind, Light of the World: How New Science is Illuminating Ancient Truths about God will come out on August 13, and it's available now for pre-order. We are confronted today by a dark philosophy that views the world as a machine and humanity as a mistake. But as listeners of Young Heretics know, this phil…

1
She's an Icon 1:02:58

3M ago1:02:58

1:02:58

The veneration of icons is one of the longest-lasting and most intense controversies in the history of the church. But it's not just a matter of religious practice: it also happens to touch on even more ancient and profound issues in the nature of perception and reality. So, just exactly what Young Heretics has been all about this year! Thanks to e…

1
Sequences Podcast No 247 3:11:48

3M ago3:11:48

3:11:48

Hi everyone, we have another array of musical gems to entertain you. It seems we have collected many ambient styles and symphonic excursions in this edition. It’s good to see we are represented by several new female musicians. The stillness and vulnerability of Lyndsie Alguire’s music, the re-release of Danielle Boutet’s 1985 album Pieces, which bo…

1
Words, Words, Words 3: Puppers, Hell-Hounds, and the Dogs of War 37:30

3M ago37:30

37:30

Is the Message a good translation of the Bible? Is it even a translation? This is one of the questions I get asked all the time, and with good reason: people like the vividness of a more plainspoken translation, but they worry about the accuracy of bringing the Bible so far down to earth. How can we tell the difference between a faithful but idioma…

1
Taylor Swift and Ben Shapiro in Thessalonike 1:03:41

3M ago1:03:41

1:03:41

Today I'm tackling (no pun intended) a very important philosophical question of our age: why does anyone care what Taylor Swift thinks? No, seriously--that's a real question. It's basically the one that Plato deals with in his Ion. Trying to answer it can lead us to some pretty fascinating insights about the nature of celebrity and even reality its…

1
Words, Words, Words 2: John 11:4 24:33

3M ago24:33

24:33

"This sickness is not unto death, but..." what? On this episode of Words, Words, Words, I answer a listener question about how to understand what Jesus says about Lazarus' illness shortly before healing him. It's a juicy question that leads into all sorts of issues about ambiguity (good and bad) and how to understand the Bible. Subscribe to my new …

1
What's Therapy Good For? 58:44

4M ago58:44

58:44

People are fighting online (shocking, I know) about whether therapy is a godsend, a scam, or something in between. Without delving too deep into the Twitter weeds, we can actually extract a pretty important insight from this debate: whatever the merits or drawback of any particular therapeutic practice, our understanding of spiritual matters--our a…

1
Words, Words, Words, Part 1: Homer's Iliad I.1 39:42

4M ago39:42

39:42

In this new occasional series, I want to try and help you guys answer some of the questions you often ask about translation--how it works, what challenges it presents, and how to pick a good edition of a work originally written in a foreign language you don't speak. Each time I'll pick a small sentence from a famous work--this time it's the first l…

1
Sequences Podcast No 246 Part 2 2:50:28

4M ago2:50:28

2:50:28

Playlist no 246 Part 200.00 Jeff Greinke ‘Cyclogenesis’ (album Oceanic) https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com06.02 Jeff Greinke ‘Pressure Gradient’ 10.17 Solitaire ‘Fearless’ (album Fearless) ***https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com 21.36 Solitaire ‘Kabbalah’ (album Nocturnes) 26.38 DTime ‘In the Obscure Void’ (album In The Obscure Void On The Edge Of …

1
Sequences Podcast No 246 Part 1 2:30:37

4M ago2:30:37

2:30:37

Happy New Year to all our friends & listeners from the team, Mike, Andy and, of course, our host, Karen. Moving house over Christmas has been a busy time for me. Now in temporary accommodation with my daughter & son-in-law before another move later in the year back to the UK. Since starting Sequences in a cupboard (yes, you heard it right) with jus…

1
The Stuff that (Actually) Matters 1:06:14

4M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

Election 2024 is in motion, and no question it's an important one--but will it be the decisive cataclysm that everyone will surely make it out to be? Somehow it almost feels as if we hope it will: as if we're longing for some definitive event to deliver a verdict on where all this turbulence is headed. But deeper currents are moving beneath far ben…

1
Interview: Alex Petkas, Ancient Life Coach 48:50

4M ago48:50

48:50

When did we stop looking to great men gone by as role models? My guest today, Alex Petkas, is a recovering academic who founded the Ancient Life Coach podcast in order to make a more immediate connection between past and present. He's recovering Plutarch--once antiquity's most cherished moralist--as a guide for today. We discuss the transformation …

1
Men Should Be What they Seem 1:03:32

4M ago1:03:32

1:03:32

Claudine “Fake and” Gay is out at Harvard, and there’s something about this scandal that reveals what makes academic corruption so painful and infuriating: it’s the humiliation of having to believe a lie. As it happens, this is a news story that can illustrate—with a little help from William Shakespeare—the core issue in matters of sin, art, and ou…

1
Satan at the Center of the Sun (Special Episode) 33:39

5M ago33:39

33:39

Over on Substack, I’ve been gradually creating an audiobook reading of Milton’s epic poem of mankind’s fall, Paradise Lost. It’s one of the greatest works of English literature, well…ever. So this Friday, I thought I’d do something a little different: this is a free sample of the audiobook so you can get a feel for the poem and see whether you’d li…

1
Leap Year Vibes 1:05:37

5M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

Everything is completely insane, so, in other words, it’s business as usual. Everyone seems to feel certain that we’re in for a year of madness, and it’s hard to disagree. But it’s also hard to remember that human life is always madness, playing out against the backdrop of the stars. That’s what the calendar itself represents. So on this first epis…

1
Interview: Louise M. Perry, "Ludicrous Crackpot" 48:22

5M ago48:22

48:22

What is a TERF? I’m joined for this week’s interview by Louise M. Perry, one of the most insightful and thoughtful observers of the wreckage left behind by the sexual revolution. We discuss the “radical” part of being a “Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist,” whether social norms can leave space for abnormality, and the limits of “cultural Christian…

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