The duo of anthropologist, author, and audiovisual performer Thomas Burkhalter (founder of Norient) and music producer Daniel Jakob (Dubokaj, Dejot, Filewile) released their debut album as Melodies in My Head, Joy Anger Doubt, in January this year. In it, they explore the emotional landscapes of contemporary artists – their own and those of collaborators from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the UK.

How do these artists perceive and navigate the world? Themes of joy, fear, doubt, and resilience weave through songs, tracks, and skits, painting a fragmented yet intimate portrait of creative life in a shifting global landscape. Some lyrics stem from ethnographic interviews Burkhalter has conducted over two decades; others draw on fictional narratives. Sonically, the album moves between pop, club culture, underground textures, kitsch, and trash aesthetics.

The Joy Anger Doubt live show merges music, film, photography, and spoken word. Songs and remixes intertwine with diary entries and the voices of artists – both real and imagined. It is a reflection on artistic survival and expression, asking: What does it mean to create in today’s world?