Silent Generation

Ep. 108. Freak Folk w/ Madeline Rupard

Freak Folk was a subgenre of folk music popular from the early to late 2000s that emerged after younger indie musicians took inspiration from 1960s psychedelic folk. Initially defying characterization, people started to label their music “Freak Folk” beginning in 2004 after Devendra Banhart curated a compilation CD titled The Golden Apples of the Sun that unintentionally anthologized the subgenre. Most Freak Folk artists rejected the label, but it described a cohesive sound best characterized by childlike vocals, unusual musical instruments, and lo-fi production quality. 
 
This week, Nathan is joined by professor and painter Madeline Rupard (from Ep. 84: Rest Stops) to discuss the subgenre in depth. The two begin by tracing Freak Folk’s origins to Vashti Bunyan and Davendra Banhart, detailing how the two collaborated. They then dedicate a large portion of the episode to singer-songwriter and harpist Joanna Newsom, discussing all four of her albums: The Milk-Eyed Mender, Ys, Have One On Me, and Divers. They then briefly cover the work CocoRosie and Animal Collective before concluding the episode with a speculative discussion about why most Freak Folk musicians received Waldorf educations in their youth. 
 
Links:
Madeline Rupard - Instagram Page
https://www.madelinerupard.com/ 
Joannna Newsom is not on Spotify
The Sprout and the Bean by Joann Newsom
Bridges & Balloons by Joann Newsom
Emily by Joanna Newsom
Have One On Me by Joanna Newsom
Sapokanikan  by Joanna Newsom
Terrible Angels by Cocorosie
Winters Love by Animal Collective
Rejoicing in the Hands by Vashti Bunyan & Davendra Banhart
The Golden Apples of the Sun (2004)
Devendra Banhart is Not a Freak
Freak Folk’s Very Own Pied Piper by Alec Hanley Bemis
BiRd-BrAiNs by Tune-Yards - Pitchfork Review
Joanna Newsom, the Changeling by Jody Rosen
Joanna Newsom interview on Triple J
Meeting CocoRosie - Interview with Bianca and Sierra Casady - Talking Records
New Film Documents 2004 Devendra Banhart/Joanna Newsom Tour by Tom Breihan
The Family Jams (2009)
Highest Rated Freak Folk Albums of All Time - Pitchfork Magazine
The Sound of Freak Folk
 
Artwork:
Harp Inspires Hyperbole by Helgi Valur
 
Recorded on 5/16/2026

Ep. 107: Frutiger Aero [TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration
 
Frutiger Aero is a consumer aesthetic prevalent from the mid-2000s to early 2010s that can trace its roots back to operating systems like Windows Longhorn, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X. Many of the aesthetic’s motifs can be seen in the Windows Aero design language: humanist sans-serif fonts, glassy window borders, nature-inspired desktop wallpapers, and rich tertiary colors. But Frutiger Aero proliferated beyond the internet, finding its way into consumer electronics and the built environment.
 
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by detailing how the aesthetic was first identified by CARI co-founder Sofi Xian. They then review Frutiger Aero’s motifs, arguing that the stock images created by the South Korean company Asadal Studio exemplify them best. They then highlight two more prime examples (EVE from WALL-E and the Pyongyang Sci-Tech Complex) before addressing the modern reinterpretation of the aesthetic: Neo-Aero. They review the track Windows98 by Frutiger Dillon before concluding with a discussion about how later reinterpretations of aesthetics differ from their original vision. 
 
Links:
Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/frutiger-aero/
https://sofixian.com/
The Frutiger Aero Facebook group
Frutiger Aero CARI Page
Frutiger Aero Aesthetics Wiki Page  
DORFic Aesthetics Wiki Page
Neo-Aero Aesthetics Wiki Page
The Frutiger Aero Archive 
Frutiger Aero: the Windows screen saver design trend taking TikTok by storm by Ellie Violet Bramley
Physical Reflections of Digital Aesthetics: the Influence of Frutiger Aero on Interior Design by Emirhan AVCI
Frutiger Aero: a estética digital dos anos 2000 que volta à internet by Leonardo Vega
Apple's new Liquid Glass design puts the spotlight on skeuomorphism for the first time since iOS 6 – and I'm all for it by Jamie Richards
The Typographic Legacy of Microsoft
Sego UI vs Frutiger Next - Font Comparison
What is Bokeh and How It Affects Your Images by Jason Polak
North Korea opens atom-shaped science and technology centre – in pictures
I used North Korea's leaked Linux distribution, and it still has secrets a decade later by Adam Conway
Frutiger Aero Spotify playlist
Lease by Takeshi Abo
Windows98 by Frutiger Dillon
 
Artwork:
Asadal Stock Image 21
 
Recorded on 6/1/2026

Ep. 106: Algorave

“Algorave” is a portmanteau of “algorithm” and “rave” that describes an electronic music event where people watch live coding performances. The term was originally coined by Alex McLean, a musician and software developer who created the live coding environment TidalCycles and its offshoot Strudel, the most popular tools used by live coders. Despite spreading internationally in the early 2010s, Algorave and live coding have remained relatively unknown. 
 
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien try to answer the question of why Algorave has not become more popular. The two begin by highlighting the contributions of Brian Eno and Alex McLean before examining the work of the first Algorave musician to experience mainstream success: DJ_Dave. They reflect on her recent performance in Chicago and argue that she has appealed to a wider audience by incorporating pop music fundamentals. They then discuss the music of Switch Angel, a regular DJ_Dave collaborator who recently started a record label for live code music called Polymaters. The episode concludes with an examination of how Algorave is a vestige of the “social computing” ethos of the 1960s. 
 
Links:
Nathan's Algorave Playlist
Algorave Generation
Run the code: is algorave the future of dance music? - The Guardian 
Run the code: is algorave the future of dance music? by Imani Amrani 
Algoraves: Dancing to Live Coding by Rob Marvin
Musical Genes: Sisters DJ_Dave and Maddy Davis Premiere "Can't Do This Alone" Remix
DJ_Dave @ Elsewhere
If code can make music, what will you make? | Sarah Davis | TEDxCornell
Pop Live Coding Encounters: Reflections on Practice by Sarah Davis (DJ_Dave), Jack Armitage (Lil Data), and Gus Lobban (Kero Kero Bonito)
Pop Live Coding Encounters: Reflections on Practice (Podcast)
Live Coder DJ_Dave Is Logged In to the Algorave Afters by Mekala Rajagopal
Meet DJ_Dave: The Live Coding Producer Lacing Together the Future of Electronic Dance Music 
Algorave: Algorithmic Dance Culture
Algorave: Creating music with code
Why We Bleep 045: Algorave/Alex McLean
Tidal History
'Original' TOPLAP draft manifesto
Live Coding: A User’s Manual by Alan Blackwell, Emma Cocker, Geoff Cox, Alex McLean and Thor Magnusson
 
Artwork:
DJ_Dave performing at Chop Shop in Chicago, IL on 5/9/2026
Photo by Sam Schlegel
 
Recorded on 5/20/2026

Ep. 105: The Information Age w/ Juniper

The Information Age is a historical period, beginning in the mid-20th century, that is characterized by an accelerated shift from analog technologies to digital ones. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, the boys are joined by Juniper, a friend of the pod who designed an app called Atopia that coordinates hangouts between like-minded individuals. Together, the three begin by detailing the contributions of two figures that sparked the Information Age: Claude Shannon and Margaret Hamilton. They then survey the history of early computing, eschewing the “Silicon Valley mythology” that jumps from mainframes to personal computers by focusing on time-sharing and the Whole Earth Catalog. After that, they examine the physical infrastructure of the internet and the evolving nature of the web. The episode concludes with a discussion about how culture is shaped by information in the modern era, and how “social computing” can still be found on Discord. 
 
Links:
www.atopia.world
A People’s History of Computing in the United States by Joy Lisi Rankin
From Counterculture to Cyberculture by Fred Turner
A Mathematical Theory of Communication By Claude Shannon
How Claude Shannon Invented the Future by David Tse
The Bit Player (2018)
Shannon’s Diagram of a General Communication System
Evenings at Home: Then and Now - political cartoon (1938) 
Time-sharing - IBM
Whole Earth Catalog, Fall 1968
The Verge - Version History Episode
infinitemac.org
A Prehistory of the Cloud by Tung Hui Hu
Undersea Cables by Trevor Paglen
Photos of the Submarine Internet Cables the NSA Probably Tapped by Laura Mallonee
Revolt of the Elites by Christopher Lasch
Silent Generation Podcast Listener Submission Form
 
Artwork:
The Univac 1 Computer by George Michael
 
Recorded on 5/11/2026

Ep. 104: The Clear Craze [TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration
 
The “Clear Craze” was a marketing fad from the late 1980s to early 2000s that led to an influx of transparent and translucent products. Consumers could suddenly purchase clear versions of electronics, beverages, mouthwash, mascara, deodorant, laundry detergent, and even gasoline. Many clear products were purported to have benefits over their opaque counterparts, such as how clear beverages were marketed as being “lite” or low calorie. But were they actually healthier, as many claimed? And what did they symbolize on a deeper level? 
 
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by discussing consumer electronics that debuted during the Clear Craze like the Conair Clear Phone, iMac G3, and Gameboy Color. The two then pivot to clear beverages that launched in the ‘90s, detailing why drinks like Crystal Pepsi and Zima flopped. They round out the episode with a discussion about why the Clear Craze is unlikely to ever truly experience a revival due to tech companies’ aversion to the right to repair. 
 
Links:
The Clear Craze
The Clear Craze & Prison Electronics
The Clear Craze of Y2K Electronics
Ep. 55: Y2K Futurism
Colorless Craze Makes Many Things Clear by Morning Call (1993)
Clear, And Cashing In by Karen Springen (1993)
“It Was the Coolest Phone I’d Ever Seen” by Heather Schwedel
Why The '90s Clear Phones Became So Popular by William Kennedy
The Mac that saved Apple (and Steve Jobs): Deep Inside the Bondi Blue by Rik Myslewski
iMac | The Computer of the Future
Why Crystal Pepsi Flopped
What Happened to Crystal Pepsi? How the 'Clear Craze' Drink Became No More by Kenn C. Bivins
Crystal Pepsi 1992: Transparency Without Demand
10 Things You Should Know About Zima by Olivia White
The Clear Beverage Craze of the ‘90s by The 80s and 90s Uncensored 
This is Why We’re Falling Back in Love with Clear Tech by Sushant Vohra
 
Artwork:
スケルトンClear by Kazzycom
 
Recorded on 4/29/2026

Ep. 103: Those Characters From Cleveland

Those Characters From Cleveland, which first launched in 1981, was the character development division at American Greetings. Tasked with licensing existing greeting card characters like Holly Hobbie and Strawberry Shortcake into toys and cartoons, they quickly found success by launching new IPs like the Care Bears. But how did a company based in Cleveland, OH make such a large impact on children’s media during the 1980s? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien detail how American Greetings and TCFC took a bottom up approach to IP development. They discuss how TCFC lost an early legal battle over Strawberry Shortcake’s copyright, how TCFC designed the Care Bears to break into the 40% of the plush market held by teddy bears, and how several TCFC franchises loosely connect to the Victorian-inspired consumer aesthetic known as Soft Countriana. 
 
Links:
Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/those-characters-from-cleveland/ 
Throughout the Decades - American Greetings History
Barbi Sargent and Strawberry Shortcake
Barbi Sargent’s design vs Muriel Fahrion’s design 
Sargent v. American Greetings Corp., 588 F. Supp. 912 (N.D. Ohio 1984)
History of the Care Bears by Chris Buchner
The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings (w/ Terri Mitchell)
The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings (1983)
The Care Bears Movie (1985)
Cleveland’s Greetings by Clair McNear
The Bear Truth by Colleen Smitek
The Rise and Fall of Care Bears: Why It Was Cancelled At Its Peak
The Calculated History of The Care Bears
Potential New Cleveland RTA Rail System Map
Artwork:
Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears: Best of Friends Sweepstakes 1980s Ad
 
Recorded on 4/23/2026

Ep. 102: Soft Countriana w/ Evan Collins

Soft Countriana is a consumer aesthetic that flourished from the 1970s to early 1990s that is composed of pastels, country geese, storybook creatures, and homages to the Victorian era. It describes the aesthetic that was most popular amongst “conservative grandmas in the 1980s,” though it broadly appealed to suburban women of all ages. The aesthetic was popularized by brands such as Laura Ashley, Hallmark, Paula Vaughan, and Gunne Sax.
 
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan is joined by Evan Collins, the founder of the Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute, who first identified Soft Countriana in June 2022. The two begin by theorizing what type of consumer the aesthetic most appealed to and why it first emerged. They then survey the aesthetic’s common motifs before taking a deeper look at the British lifestyle brand Laura Ashley. The episode concludes with a discussion about whether the contemporary aesthetic cottagecore drew inspiration from Soft Countriana.
 
Links:
Soft Countriana Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/soft-countriana/
Evan’s Soft Countriana Are.na: https://www.are.na/evan-collins-1522646491/soft-countriana
Evan’s Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute Patreon page
Evan’s Instagram
Evan’s Bluesky
Soft Countriana Aesthetic’s Wiki Page
Gay Nineties Revival CARI Page
The Gay Nineties: An Album of Reminiscent Drawings by R. V. Culter 
Gaggleville Goose Outfits
The Talking Mother Goose ad
Inside Laura Ashley: How Britain's Fashion Empire Was Built and Lost
The Enduring Appeal of Laura Ashley by Amanda Fortini
Small Firm Design by Paula Rice Jackson (SF county store article)
Is Little house on the prairie cottagecore?
 
Artwork:
The Romance of Paula Vaughan by Anne Childs (1993)
 
Recorded on 3/8/2026

Ep. 101: Water Transportation [TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration
 
For roughly seven decades from 1790 to 1855, water transportation was the dominant form of transportation in the United States. This week’s episode of Silent Generation begins with an examination of one of the most important pieces of infrastructure that enabled it to be so prosperous, the Erie Canal. Nathan and Sebastien then detail waterways that enable freight shipping to remain competitive in the present day like the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Mississippi River. They then transition to discussing what they like about passenger ferry services like the Staten Island Ferry, NYC Ferry, and the Chicago Water Taxi. The episode concludes with a debate about why urbanists don’t typically care about water transportation, and whether urban waterways can be used for purposes other than recreation. 
 
Links:
Sebastien’s Survey of Old Erie Canal
The Erie Canal - American History Hit
Low Bridge, Everybody Down
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan
The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan
The Port of Chicago is not just a scar on the city’s shoreline and a threat to the environment. It’s a drag on economic growth by John Lippert
Ferry Travel in the 21st Century by James Gilcher
NYC Ferry Map
Big Changes Coming to NYC Ferry
Chicago Water Taxi
Where did all of the American Canals go? - Alan Fisher
 
Artwork:
Washington State ferry, 1960's
 
Recorded on 3/30/2026

The Silent Generation Thesis

In the summer of 2023, Joseph and I were having a conversation in Podlasie Club about different generational attitudes toward ultraprocessed food. We shared anecdotes about how boomers in our personal lives had little to no reservations about consuming them, while the generation above the boomers had a healthy degree of skepticism and preferred home-cooked food. Joseph uttered the phrase “reject your parents, embrace your grandparents.” I quickly realized that the generation he advocated embracing was the Silent Generation, and the term began buzzing in my head. 
I had only known Joseph for a couple of months at that point, but we had amazing conversational chemistry and kept discovering that we admired many of the same things: public transit, cities, architecture, menswear, and aesthetics. He was even wearing his Crystal Castles long sleeve tee that night at Podlasie Club, which ended up being the third topic we did together and our all time most downloaded episode. I asked him to start the podcast with me after I realized that the worldview we shared was something that needed to be disseminated and preserved.
The Silent Generation worldview is one that is predicated on decline. If you look at the health of American cities compared to 100 years ago, you will find that the reliability of public transit systems, walkability of neighborhoods, vibrancy of downtowns, and quality of architecture have all diminished over the last century. Cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and St. Louis saw their populations fall by more than half. While Chicago has fared better than much of the rest of the Midwest, we are still in many ways a shadow of our former self, having lost a million people from our peak in 1950. 
This decline can be attributed to car-oriented development in the mid-20th century. Urban neighborhoods were razed for the construction of interstate highways, and suburban lifestyles became synonymous with the American way of life. Prior urbanists have already elucidated how car-oriented lifestyles lead to lower life expectancies, decreased financial stability, and atomization. But Silent Generation is amongst the first projects to explore the cultural effects of suburbanization, to look at the cultural practices of prior generations and examine what has been lost through the lens of urbanism. 
As a podcast, we aim to not only identify what has been lost since the mid-century, but to offer solutions in the present day: subcultures, secular social movements, and moral codes. Each involves the identification of values within oneself and a conscious effort to engage with the wider world. We aim to teach listeners to be citizens instead of consumers, and to value their communities as participants in public life. Silent Generation has now reached 100 episodes, but there is still more to explore.
 
Links:
Silent Generation Zine Vol. 1Silent Generation Podcast Listener Submission Form
 
Artwork:Designed by Nathan
 
Recorded on 4/2/2026

Ep. 100: Witch House 2 w/ Pictureplane

Pictureplane, real name Travis Egedy, is a musician, artist, and fashion designer who popularized the term “witch house” in a 2009 interview with Pitchfork Magazine. In this follow up episode to Ep. 89: Witch House, Nathan and Breanna interview Pictureplane about his contributions to witch house and his involvement with early internet aesthetics as a whole. They ask him about what his Myspace page looked like, how he got to know Zombelle, and how the music video for Goth Star got filmed. The episode concludes with a discussion of Pictureplane’s most recent album, Sex Distortion. 
 
Links:
Pictureplane - Instagram Page 
https://pictureplane.bandcamp.com/
https://shop.alienbody.com/
Real Is A Feeling by Pictureplane 
Gothstar by Pictureplane
Glowing Wounds by Pictureplane
Sex Distortion (Spectral Passion) by Pictureplane
Heaven is a State of Mind by Pictureplane
RE/Search Publications
Industrial Culture Handbook
Runaway Today
Bukake is a Feeling by Zombelle
2011 Chicago Tumblr basement photo
greeknewmediashit 
Photorhabdus luminescens (Angel’s glow)
 
Artwork:
Pictureplane on His Haunting New Album and His Favorite Horror Imagery by Tobias Carroll
 
Recorded on 1/7/2026